


A Series of Moments

by sanctum_c



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Advent Children is never going to happen, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Compilation What Compilation, Dirge of Cerberus is never going to happen, F/F, Ignoring Before Crisis, Ignoring Crisis Core, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 06:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 82,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That Aeris Gainsborough liked her was never in doubt in Tifa's mind, but she did not anticipate the extent of it and how her own feelings would develop as they traveled the world. An alternate universe re-working of the <i>Final Fantasy VII</i> story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is sort of written _The Princess Bride_ -style, at least in the earlier chapters; by which I mean, rather then recounting all the events of _Final Fantasy VII_ which hopefully you're well aquainted with, I'm skipping over them to the points in between which aren't portrayed; up until a divergent point at least. I had to break a fair amount of the game canon back-story to make this work (and outright ignore _Before Crisis_ and _Crisis Core_ ).

Tifa Lockhart stood on the cart, hoping desperately that this really was a good plan. She'd stopped Barret from doing anything too rash, but the implications of the slum lord Don Corneo prying into the whereabouts of Avalanche and its membership at the behest of the Shinra Electric Company was too frightening to ignore. She could scarcely believe she had suggested posing as one of the candidates for the Don's wife; if only to get close to the man and find out what she could. And here she was wearing an absurdly provocative blue dress; her face painted with makeup as she desperately tried to act weak and demure. She wasn't sure she could go through with this. Her hand involuntarily went to the flower tucked into her hair; where had Cloud found that? Such an amazing and rare gift that he'd sheepishly handed to her once he and the rest of Avalanche had returned from their successful assault on the Shinra company.

Their first success, and a tremendous one at that; the destruction of a Mako reactor. Avalanche had formed out of environmental concerns over the still relatively new technology of Mako power; Mako energy, a thick glowing green substance drawn up from beneath the Planet's crust and compressed. The process produced both electrical energy and a crystallised form of Mako known as materia. This granted the wielder the knowledge and skills of an Elder race, known only as the Ancients. It unlocked the power of magic, heavily used by Shinra in it's successful war against the country of Wutai, the army skilled at combining the old spells with devastating new tactics.

Avalanche's concerns had first been voiced after the founding of Midgar; the fusion of eight smaller settlements into the Mako powered city of the future. At first the new city drew in prospective dwellers, all too eager to experience the land of free, cheap and clean energy, but all too quickly the trap that awaited the poor became clear. Unable to afford the high quality of life Shinra was now branding and selling, workers would find themselves relegated to the dingy slums beneath the gigantic plates that formed the city of the company's dreams. The land beneath them withered and died and a creeping desert began to form around the once technological wonderland.

The Avalanche founders quickly made the connection by the increased uptake of Mako via the gigantic reactors that now ringed the city and the poor quality of the land. Goods were increasingly flown in from outside of Midgar's borders, easily available to the dwellers on the upper plates but hard to acquire for those below. The inhabitants of the slums made do with what they could, paying outrageous prices for meagre scraps. Avalanche demanded answers and Shinra responded with force. Public demonstrations were banned, and the grisly fate of those who had spoken up were now infamous throughout the slums. It had only made Barret Wallace, now assuming control of the group, more determined to oppose the company.

 

Tifa caught one last despairing glance from Barret as the chocobo drawn cart passed through the Sector Seven gate. She was on her own and heading into one of the most infamous places in the lower city of Midgar. The cart behind her bustled with other girls, drawn from the dwellers in Sector Seven. Each had been promised a life of luxury and comfort and each was seemingly oblivious to the darker whispering of what would occur to the poor souls actually selected and even those who were not. She'd been a late volunteer and as such forced to stand at the back. She didn't mind; she was in what passed for the open air down here and at least she had a moment to herself before she had to play her part.

The cart turned, heading towards Sector Six and two colours caught her eye. Purple and pink. The man who called himself Cloud Strife, dressed as always in a SOLDIER uniform, was sat in a children's play-park beside a girl in a pink dress. Her gaze locked with the girl's despite the distance, the blonde man forgotten; she saw only emerald green eyes. Tifa found herself leaning forward, straining to look at the woman sat beside the SOLDIER. Her brown hair was tied back into a long braid with an oversized pink ribbon and she stared back at her as the cart rolled on.

She wanted to cry out as a building cut off the vision. Cloud was alive. She should take solace in that but something didn't feel right. It had looked strange how comfortable he looked sat beside the beautiful girl in pink. She had looked so out of place down here in the slums - she'd never seen anyone like her. A girlfriend?

Tifa shook her head. There was nothing between them, had never been anything between them. She'd found him barely coherent and weakened by chance on the Sector Seven station a few weeks previously. He was the one she'd once coaxed a promise from; that he would come to her rescue should she ever need it. A promise he'd broken. The martial artist could not really hold that against him; she hadn't seen him in years, and she was not prepared to abandon him to the dangers of the slums. She nursed him gradually back to health, helping him regain coherence and motor skills. With that came that hint once again that he liked her, liked her in that special way that had given her such a thrill when she'd asked him for his promise. But something was different now; she realised she didn't like him in that way. She was not yet ready to reject those feelings. The timing wasn't right, and Avalanche needed him. She couldn't add to his desire to leave; not now, just as the organisation had started to make its presence felt. It would be easier now though. He'd found someone else, as improbable as that seemed. He'd met her sometime in the last day after tumbling from a gantry between the upper plates in the aftermath of their botched but still ultimately successful assault on Mako Reactor Five. It would at least take the pressure off of her.

But something burned in her chest. Was this... jealousy? Tifa shook her head, confused. She'd never had time for relationships; there had been so few boys in Nibelheim, and merely struggling to survive after she wound up in the city had given her little desire to open up to someone else. But even then none of those boys back home had ever really appealed to her. None of the men who frequented the Seventh Heaven either; even the ones who didn't openly gawp and leer at her. Jessie claimed she was too picky, that she just needed to loosen up, have some drinks, pick a guy - one she liked the look of naturally - and... take him home and forget her worries for a while. The thought had rattled her. She recalled all the men she'd known. Oh, some she loved; Barret, Wedge and Biggs, but not once had she entertained the thought of kissing any one of them, let alone allowing one into her bed. The other men she met seemed solely fixated on her body and she failed to see anything appealing in them. 

When she had presented Cloud to them, Jessie jumped to an immediate conclusion and congratulated her with a wink. Not only had she finally found someone, he was also a former member of SOLDIER. The martial artist had smiled mirthlessly, too tired from caring for the blonde man to refute the implications. Interacting with him had left her feeling cold every-time, the contradictions and omissions in his memories screamed that something was badly wrong. Unless... was it her memories that were wrong? Tifa remembered vividly the last days she'd lived in Nibelheim, her last days with her father before she woke up in Midgar. Cloud's strange memories made her worry; was she misremembering the situation? Was her version of events concocted within her own mind as she slumbered after her injury? Would she ever find out? 

She'd found Cloud wandering some nights after he'd begun to improve, tugged away by some unknown impulse. During the day he fidgeted, seemingly desperate to be away, and with increasingly regularity he'd slip out at night, leaving Tifa waiting anxiously for his return until her nerves frayed and she sought him out. The Avalanche job was a last attempt to get him to stay, he claimed to be a mercenary after all. As long as they paid him he seemed much calmer and more willing to stick around. But they would run out of money eventually, and then he would leave.

Tifa looked back off the cart. Who was that girl with Cloud? The vision of the girl in pink with green eyes and brown hair danced in her head. 

 

She waited, shivering in what looked like a dungeon. A glance around the room did nothing to comfort her and she eyed the glowing furnace with particular suspicion. It felt like those rumours were more uncomfortably true then she would have liked to believe. She took a deep breath and told herself to relax. She wasn't done for yet; she felt certain she could take the guards and get clear of the mansion. It might make things tense in the slums for a while, but it shouldn't be so bad if they avoided Sector Six. She'd hated the Wall Market on her previous visits; the seediness of the area was distressing, and that it should be so close to the place she called home was unnerving. However bad Sector Seven was, it was nothing compared to here. 

A clumsy clattering drew her attention and she turned to the stairs that lead down to this dungeon. A tall blonde girl had stumbled in her heels. She was wearing a purple dress and heavy make-up like hers. Another one for Don Corneo? She sighed. The look of fear on the girl's face said it all. She pondered briefly suggesting to Barret that Avalanche do something about the Don and his vile ways when another set of footsteps sounded on the stairs - descending with a lot more grace and control. The girl was wearing a low-cut, long red dress, her brown hair loosely tied in place, and... Her gaze met those same stunning emerald green eyes. The raven-haired girl saw the brunette's eyes flick upwards for a moment before returning to her gaze.

"Tifa? I'm Aeris. Cloud's told me a lot about you."

The soft-spoken girl, Aeris, was smiling at her. She felt her own lips twitch and she smiled back, finding herself struggling to find her voice, "You... were with Cloud... in that park?" She winced. Could she not just have said 'Hello', or that it was nice to meet her? No, for some reason she'd leapt right to a confirmation of what she had seen with her own eyes; this was Cloud's new girlfriend.

"Yes! We saw you on the cart being taken here."

"Oh..." Tifa faltered, suddenly and confusingly dismayed at the confirmation of her own snap judgement.

"Don't worry," the girl in red was still smiling, "We only just met, there's nothing going on with us."

The martial artist felt relieved. A small voice whispered something... new in her head. She tried to ignore it for now. "'Worry?'" She smiled weakly, "We just grew up together, nothing more."

"Oh," Aeris replied, her gaze flicking up above Tifa's eyes once more. What was she looking at? The raven-haired girl brought her hand up and connected with the flower. The sight seemed to fascinate the brunette. Maybe she wanted it? She detached the flower and held it out. 

"Would you like it?"

The girl with emerald eyes suddenly laughed, "Oh, no! No, keep it! I have so many at home..."

"You... have... flowers?"

"I grow them", she replied proudly. "And sell them. The one you're holding was sold to a customer two days ago. Isn't that right Cloud?" The flower girl called over her shoulder to the girl in purple, who looked around miserably. The martial artist looked at the girl with some confusion, and then suddenly everything snapped into focus; it was Cloud, heavily made up and wearing a carefully cut dress.

"Cloud!" She couldn't believe it. "Why are you... dressed...? What happened after you fell?"

"I... there... there was no other way we could get in here. I came to help you, to rescue you. Aeris helped me after I fell... she guided me back to Sector Seven when we saw you on the cart..." He broke off, uncomfortable. He shot Aeris a sidelong glance. She sighed theatrically.

"I'll just plug my ears then..." She brought her hands up to her ears and began humming. Tifa glanced at her amused. Cloud summarised briefly the events of the last day and then demanded what had lead his friend to the mansion. Aeris piped up as she was explaining the Don's process of choosing between three girls who had passed his subordinate's checks as she had and took one for himself that night.

"Sorry... I overheard... If you know the other two girls up for selection, then it won't matter who's chosen will it?"

Tifa was about to protest, when she caught the implication. The brunette was suggesting putting herself and Cloud up for the Don's inspection as well.

"No Aeris, I can't get you involved with this," the ex-SOLDIER interjected.

"But it's okay for Tifa to be involved?" She looked at him expectantly, her head tilted slightly.

"N-No! I don't want her involved either."

Tifa stepped around him and addressed Aeris. "You don't mind?"

The girl in red shook her head, "No. I grew up in the slums after-all; I'm used to life here." She looked deep into Tifa's eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," the other girl replied without hesitation. A shout came from the top of the stairs; the Don was ready for them. The raven-haired girl carefully returned the flower to her hair.

"I probably don't need to ask... but the other girl is me, isn't it?" Cloud muttered with a worried glance up the stairs.

Tifa smiled. "You're right. There was no need..."

"...to ask," finished Aeris.


	2. A Moment in the Sewers

Don Corneos' grin widened as the floor gave out beneath them. Suddenly Tifa found herself plummeting into the dark; the stench of sewage hit her seconds before she slammed into it. She found herself disorientated, thrashing madly in a substance she didn't want to think about too much. Her eyes were closed, her mouth clamped tight shut, but she could feel the noxious liquid all around her. A hand grasped hers from out of her self-imposed darkness. Cloud! she thought. Wait. The hand was too small, the grip too gentle to belong to him. She was being pulled up. As her head broke the surface the raven-haired girl gasped desperately, tilting her head back to get let the effluent drain off her. She opened her eyes.

Above her was the shaft the three of them had fallen from, the trapdoors above closed once more. The need to move raced through her in response to the horrible leering words of the Don. Shinra was planning on destroying the support column for the upper plate of Sector Seven and allowing it to fall onto the slums in an attempt to eradicate Avalanche and their sympathisers in one fell swoop. The scope of the threat was staggering; Sector Seven... they were all in terrible danger. She realised she was still gripping the hand. Looking far better then she should have been, the beguiling brunette with the brilliant green eyes smiled at her.

"You're okay!"

Tifa tried to respond, and found herself coughing. "If this can really be called okay," she eventually replied.

Aeris drew the martial artist to her; she was clinging to a rusty ladder that extended up and out of the filth. She guided Tifa's hand onto the ladder and removed a large bag from over her shoulders. The raven-haired girl was glad that despite the panicked rush to get to the blonde SOLDIER, the brunette had insisted they gather up their belongings. The other girl threw the bag up onto the concrete walkway above them and then clinging onto fallen debris pulled herself away into the darkness. The martial artist was about to ask what she was doing, and then admonished herself for forgetting. "Cloud!" she exclaimed.

"It's okay," the flower girl's voice drifted back from the murk. "He's over here..." There was some sloshing and vague movements. "He's breathing, but it looks like he's unconscious. Honestly, does he do this often?"

The comment puzzled her. "What?"

"I first met your 'friend' Cloud after that Mako reactor explosion two nights ago. The second time was when he fell from the upper plate through the roof of my church just after reactor five exploded. Bit of an odd coincidence now I think about it... Anyway, it gave me a real scare to find him lying in the flower bed like that." There were more movements, and then Aeris reappeared, one hand slipping between clumsy handholds, the other holding the unconscious man. "Seriously," she queried as she made her way back to the ladder, "Does he do this a lot?"

Tifa found herself smiling. "Funny you should say that, when I ran into him the first time here he..." she trailed off, the subject awakening the memory conflict she kept batting away and refusing to deal with. She noticed the girl in red watching her; the brunette had reached the ladder and was hanging on again. "You were saying?" she prompted.

The martial artist raced to change the subject. "Nothing. Nothing. Shouldn't we get out of here? It's freezing in here - not to mention I don't even want to think about what some of this is..."

"I don't think I do either. Any idea of how we can get him out? Otherwise we'll just have to tie him to the ladder and hope for the best. I'd really rather not spend any more time down here."

"I think I can get him out," said Tifa, flexing her muscles. With some help from Aeris she got Cloud facing away from her and hooked an arm around his chest. With a grunt she pulled herself up a rung of the ladder trying to hook her feet onto the ladder. There was the sudden touch of a hand on her calf and her foot was guided onto the the metal rung.

"Thanks," she muttered, as she pushed upward to grasp another rung.

"No problem," came the reply.

Those same graceful fingers helped the martial artist's feet find purchase on further rungs as she climbed. "So... whose plan was the dress, really?" she asked.

Aeris appeared to be giving it some thought. "Mostly mine. He didn't put up anywhere near the fuss I thought he would."

Tifa's shoulders drew level with the concrete. Nearly there. "I thought you might have seduced him or something..." she said with a slight edge to her voice.

"Oh... No, you have nothing to worry about that from me. I merely asked him nicely. He was more concerned about you the whole time. I think that might be why he was so willing to turn transvestite."

She kept pulling herself upwards as she answered. "Yeah, Cloud's like that. Always... was..." And there again was that gulf she didn't want to enter, that subject she couldn't bring herself to confront. She heaved her burden up onto the walkway, panting hard. She pulled herself up after a moment, hearing Aeris start climbing up. The raven-haired girl rolled the blonde man onto his back; half of his makeup was gone and the wig dangled at a comical angle. She glanced up as the flower girl reached the walk-way. She smiled, and Tifa found herself smiling back. Suddenly justifying her concern for Cloud was necessary.

"Whatever he might have told you about us, or whatever you might think... It's not like that." Aeris was silent, waiting for Tifa to continue. "As I said before we have some history... we grew up together..." she stumbled slightly on this, but kept going. The brunette did not need to know about the weird doubts she had regarding Cloud's past; those glazed over moments versus the ones he remembered perfectly clearly. "I think he's always had a thing for me..."

"Did his joining SOLDIER upset things?"

"SOLD-," she cut herself off. She reminded herself to just stick with his version of events; it would be easier that way. "Y-yeah, him going to SOLDIER really dampened everything. He basically took off one day. Everyone else in the town had given him such a hard time - him and his mother after his Dad took off. It wasn't fair; they were victimised. They were the town scapegoats." She remembered back. "Eventually I was the only one of our gang still there; nearly everyone came here to work for Shinra, but I couldn't abandon my Father like that. And then there was the fire..."

Tifa shivered at the memory; the town ablaze, a tall silver-haired man striding through the flaming streets... Her father's body lying slaughtered on the reactor floor... The cold metal of the Masamune as she picked it up... Confronting that dead-eyed murderer... The sword hilt caught before it could strike him, and then horrifyingly back in his hands... The blade suddenly plunging into her.. Unconsciously her hand went to her chest stroking the scar that nearly killed her. She realised she was still shivering. She was freezing.

"A-Aeris." Her teeth were chattering now, "D-do you h-have any w-way of s-starting a f-fire?"

Aeris was shivering too, but tried to smile. The flower girl knelt beside the bag and searched inside; Tifa could hear the chink of materia colliding with each other as the bag was turned. She finally retrieved a green orb, clutching it firmly in her left hand and extending her right towards the shivering girl.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"It's okay Tifa, I know what I'm doing." The emerald-eyed girl closed her eyes, concentrating. The other girl was suddenly panicked. Was her new acquaintance about to immolate her? The materia glowed green and instead of the gout of flame the martial artist feared would engulf her, the air rippled with heat waves emanating from Aeris' hand. The heat enveloped her; it felt like a blazing hot summer's day. She gradually stopped shivering and basked in the warmth.

"Better?" came an amused query.

Tifa sighed contentedly.

"I'll take that as a yes," Aeris giggled. The heat started dispersing and Tifa opened her eyes disappointed. She watched the girl in the red dress direct the same blast of heat over herself and then Cloud.

"Thank you," the raven-haired girl said at length.

"My pleasure," came the response, as the flower girl abruptly peeled off her ruined dress. Blood rushed to Tifa's cheeks; she was unable to stop herself watching as Aeris delved into the bag retrieving the pink dress and red bolero jacket she'd been wearing before. The martial artist abruptly noticed she was being watched out of the corner of the other's eye, and snapped her gaze away hastily.

Tifa started when the Aeris spoke her name; "Don't you want to get changed too? I think you brought your normal clothes with you didn't you?" 

She stuttered slightly in response, "Ah, y-yes," and knelt beside the bag sifting through it's contents. The brunette let her hair down, carefully stowing the ribbon and what looked like a pearl into a small pocket on her jacket. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tease out the knots and other detritus that had now collected there. A thought struck the martial artist as she watched her again. "My flower!"

Tifa's hand flew to her hair but it was gone. She glanced down into the murk below; she must have lost it when they fell.

"Did you lose it?" Aeris had turned to face her, still wrapping her hair carefully back into a braid.

"Looks like it..." Tifa was crestfallen. It had been such a rare sight in the city. She cursed herself for using it as part of her outfit this evening. 

"We'll just have to get you another one," smiled the girl in pink, letting her newly tied braid fall back behind her. "I'll give you one from my garden, if you'd like."

Tifa smiled. "I'd like that." A sudden thought chilled her. "What have we been doing? We need to get to Sector Seven before they drop the plate!"

"How fast could they do that?" asked the flower girl as the martial artist stripped off her now stiff, disgusting dress and pulled on her skirt and tank-top. She crouched beside Cloud and started shaking him.

"I've no idea, but all my friends are there. And all those others who aren't even involved..." She was frantic. "Come on!" she screamed at the former SOLDIER, raising her hand to slap him. Aeris caught her hand and clasped it between her own. 

"Think! It can't be easy to destroy that support pillar." She stroked the martial artist's cheek. "You must never give up hope Tifa. I'll wake him up."

The brunette stood and then drew the raven-haired girl to her feet. She selected a different materia from the bag and again extended her right hand. "Sorry for the rude awakening Cloud." She winked at Tifa who smiled in spite of herself. After a moment of concentration a tiny spark jumped from Aeris' hand to his chest. The former SOLDIER sat bolt upright gasping and coughing. 

"Tifa...? Aeris...? You're both okay?"

Tifa crouched beside him. "Cloud, I know you're not all there yet, but we need to get back to Barret; we have to get the people of Sector Seven out."

"Right." He hauled himself to his feet and started off along the walkway.

"Um... Cloud?" called the girl in pink. "It was a great look for you, but I'm not sure you really want to go out like that..."

Cloud looked down, grimacing at his clothing, and then back to the flower girl who held his SOLDIER uniform. "...right."

 

They burst from the sewers after struggling through the twisting tunnels to the nearest ladder; it delivered them to a near deserted section of Sector Seven known as the Train Graveyard. The area was packed with the discarded, rusted engines and carriages from earlier eras of Midgar's development. There was no time to talk as they struggled between the heaps of broken and discarded machinery; all their attention was focused on the pillar that thankfully still stood in the centre of the sector, reaching from the poisoned ground to the steel sky above. There was still time.


	3. A Moment in the Cells

The cell's lights remained unchanged as the day wore on. There were no windows, no clocks, no reference of the outside world. Cloud had been nice enough to let her have the only bed and he sat slumped against the wall, snoring slightly. 

She couldn't sleep. 

She was surprised that Cloud had been able to drift off, though could easily sympathise. The climb from the Wall Market had been exhausting for all three of them, not to mention the agonising creeping up the stairs of the Shinra building. And yet she couldn't just drift off to sleep. Not surprising considering they were in a small prison cell on the sixty-seventh floor of the Shinra's headquarters, awaiting execution. But even if she was free her mind would still whirl with images of their dying friends on the Sector Seven support pillar, the horrifying drop on the end of a wire as they just barely avoided the falling upper plate. She remembered vividly the moment of despair when Barret thought Marlene was lost fortunately followed by the joy at finding her safe and sound at Aeris' house. She remembered the strange memories Elmyra Gainsborough had related of her adoptive daughter's past...

 

"Aeris... is an Ancient. The only one left." Tifa had found herself staring at the flower girl's adoptive mother as she haltingly spoke, turning at last to look at them. The older woman already knew that Shinra had captured her daughter; a Turk had taken her in a desperate deal - she would go with them in exchange for leaving Marlene alone. There had been no malice or anger in Elmyra's eyes, just loss.

A wistful smile now spread across Elmyra's face. "It was fifteen years ago... My husband was fighting in the Wutai war and after only letters for months, he finally wrote to let me know he'd be coming home. I visited the station everyday, but he never arrived. I never found out what happened; if his leave was cancelled or he couldn't get back. One day I found a woman lying wounded on the platform. She begged me to take her daughter somewhere safe... and then she was gone. People were ignoring them, I couldn't. My husband never returned; we'd planned to begin a family after the war... You used to hear such horrible tales of the orphanages in the slums in those days, I couldn't let Aeris go to such a place. So I invited her to come home with me."

She looked down, guiltily. "I left her mother's body on that station. I didn't want to, I wanted to give her a burial, but there was no one to help."

The older woman smiled then. "We grew close so quickly. She loved to talk and talked to me about everything. There was never any hesitation for her to think of me as her mother. She was reluctant to discuss where she had been before; all she would say was that they'd both escaped from a research facility somewhere in the city. She said her mother had returned to the Planet; despite her tears on the station, Aeris no longer mourned her mother's passing.

"Returned to the Planet?" Barret interrupted. "What does that mean?"

Elmyra shook her head. "I never really found out. Aeris was such a mysterious child in so many ways. One day she asked me out of the blue not to cry. She said someone precious to me had now returned to the Planet. I... didn't, I couldn't believe her then... but it made sense a few days later when I received the letter telling me my husband had been killed in action." Her voice caught in her throat for a moment before she continued. 

"A few months afterwards, the man who took her today - Tseng - came here. He asked if I would return Aeris to Shinra; they'd been searching for her for some time. She refused outright, and then he started saying so many strange things; that she was a unique child, her mother was one of the Ancients and now she herself was the last. Shinra had some plan in mind for her to lead them to a promised land, to bring happiness to the slums. He made it all sound so very appealing, but she wouldn't believe any of it. She denied every claim and got flustered when he asked her if she heard voices when she was alone. That was her breaking point; she ran from the house and into the slums. I was petrified; I'd never risked her wandering Sector Five alone and now she was somewhere out there. I ordered Tseng out of the house and went looking for her. I knew the subjects he raised made her uncomfortable so I have never tried to discuss it with her since..."

Barret cleared his throat. "Mrs. Gainsborough, I'm sorry Aeris was taken in exchange for Marlene, but could I please see her? She's... she's my daughter."

Her eyes widened slightly at this revelation, a desire to admonish the father dying on her lips. "She's upstairs, in Aeris' room. Please," she gestured to the wooden stairs on the back wall of the building. The Avalanche leader nodded in thanks and gingerly headed up. Cloud looked awkward and embarrassed as they loitered in the kitchen, the conversation dead.

"I'll go check on Barret..." he murmured at length, leaving Tifa alone with her. The older woman sighed, turning to the sink.

The martial artist cleared her throat, not sure what to say. She'd only known the flower girl a few hours now, but there was some connection between them, some measure of trust she'd never felt with anyone else. "Mrs. Gainsborough..."

"Elmyra, please."

"Elmyra. I'm... I'm sorry. It's my fault she was taken. I asked her to take Marlene somewhere safe."

The older woman turned, eyes locking with hers. "That is nothing to apologise for. Saving her life was the right thing to do. I know it, and Aeris knew it. She isn't gone. I had no wish to see the Shinra take her, but you have nothing to apologise to me for given the circumstances." She tilted her head to one side, listening to the muffled conversation drifting down from upstairs. "If I hear right, your friends are considering assaulting Shinra's headquarters to get her back."

Tifa found herself smiling. "Sounds like them... We'll get her back Elmyra. She's my... friend."

 

They had to get Aeris back; she'd sacrificed herself to save Marlene and now she needed them. They would get her back even if that involved breaking into the Shinra building. Barret was only too eager to cause Shinra some additional trouble after their heavy-handed actions, and Cloud resolutely insisted he needed to fulfil the particulars of his agreement with the girl in pink; a claim Tifa had become more sceptical of when she later found out the payment. No. She couldn't keep meditating on that. The Avalanche leader's first thought was to storm the Shinra building all guns blazing; revenge for their fallen comrades. The concept had an appeal to Tifa, but she refused the suggestion, insisting that their objective was the rescue of Aeris rather then retribution. And so they crept up the emergency stairs that threaded the building, avoiding guards and ducking into darkened offices as the office workers milled and toiled through the night.

 

They'd paused as clambered through the building's air ducts, Tifa's suggestion as they found more and more workers the higher up the building they ascended. Like the city surrounding it, it seemed Shinra never slept. Below them and nearly perfectly audible from their vantage point was a conference of the top ranks of the company. A pale-faced executive with a goatee and a dark blue suit was stumbling over damage estimates from Sector Seven; the figure was staggering to hear spoken out loud, as too was the cost to rebuild the destroyed region of the city. Shockingly, President Shinra dismissed the idea.

"We're not rebuilding. We will leave the Sector as it is... as a warning to others." The executive blinked at him, trying to find the words to respond when he continued. "We're restarting the Neo-Midgar plan."

The name meant nothing to them, but each conjectured the less than pleasant prospect of a new Midgar constructed elsewhere. The executive stared at the President. "I thought the plan was untenable? As I understand it, without an Ancient-"

"A mislaid specimen has finally been recovered." The President gazed at him calmly. "The Promised Land will soon be ours. To facilitate the construction costs, I want Mako rates raised fifteen percent in each Sector." He glanced between the executive and the blonde woman in a revealing red dress who sat beside him. "Reeve and Scarlet will divide the extra income between their departments."

"Sir, with all respect." Reeve spoke up, "If you raise the rates like that, the populace will lose confidence in the company."

"No, no they won't. They trust us."

"Especially since we're the ones who tried to warn Sector Seven about Avalanche's plot to drop the plate on the slums," a bearded man broke into the conversation from across the table.

Reeve looked increasingly out of his depth in this meeting, about to protest when a new hunched figure entered the room. Any comments died in his throat as the man sauntered in.

"Ah, Hojo. How is the girl?"

Hojo pushed his glasses back up his nose and patted a stray hair back into place on his pony-tale. "An inferior specimen; Ifalna was so much more, her daughter's hybridised nature is proving slightly troublesome."

Tifa realised with a chill that they were talking about Aeris, talking about the flower girl in cold clinical terms as if she was nothing more then a lab rat. President Shinra was unaffected by the callous descriptions. "How long will the research take?"

The scientist mused for a moment. "One hundred and twenty years perhaps?" He barked out a hideous laugh that became a low cackle. "It would be impossible to finish analysis of the subject within either my lifetime or hers. As such I've been considering breeding her; a new strain to live on after the current subject's demise. I have a breeding partner that should provide us with an incredibly long lived test subject. The level of genetic compatibility between the two is more then sufficient."

She wanted to close her ears and blot out the rest of his words, his cool detachment from humanity, his total lack of empathy.

"What of the Promised Land? Will your experiment hinder that project?"

Hojo shook his head. "Once fertilisation has been achieved we can still use her to locate the region. There may be some delays once the fetus comes to term but we would not have to wait long to push her into use again. Assuming, of course, that we have not located it before then."

"Acceptable. That concludes the meeting."

They watched silently as the participants filed out, Tifa trying desperately to fight the queasy sensations in her stomach at the scientist's words. "They were talking about Aeris weren't they?" Cloud asked, still watching the room below.

"Yeah," she blurted, hating all the implications she'd heard. "I think... if we follow Hojo, he'll lead us to her..."

 

Tifa sighed. No. She knew why she couldn't sleep; guilt. Guilt for not being there as Avalanche tried desperately to defend the pillar. Guilt for contributing to President Shinra's decision to destroy the sector utterly. Guilt for that moment of bleak horror before Aeris' parting words on the helicopter suddenly made sense. Guilt for her own impatience and frustration; she'd snapped at the Cetra, demanding answers the girl couldn't provide, and behaved like a spoiled brat. It hadn't been fair to the brunette; Tifa was exhausted from the day's events, and to snap at her friend who had risked her own safety just to get Barret's daughter out from Sector Seven... She could do nothing for her fallen comrades and the other denizens of Sector Seven.

She could at least apologise to the flower girl. She glanced over at Cloud who still slept soundly and stood up on the bed, her face level with the heavy grill that enclosed a short duct that lead through to the next cell. What was she doing? Surely Aeris would be asleep. She rationalised her actions; risk waking the sleeping girl up, or tossing and turning all night unable to sleep while worrying over the day's events. She chose and whispered into the grate.

"Aeris? Are you asleep?"

"Tifa!"

The response startled her; she'd anticipated trying to coax a drowsy response from Aeris. "Can't you sleep?" she asked. There was a rustling, and then Tifa could just about see the brunette's face looking back through the duct.

"Not sure I could sleep here," the flower girl glanced around her. "I never wanted to see this place again... I spent far more of my childhood than I would have liked trapped in this building; in a room just like this one. This is almost like one of my nightmares." She considered, "No, that would be before, trapped in a glass tube, with that maniac leering at me." The girl in pink shivered. "At least Red was a gentleman about the situation." 

Red XIII, as he had been introduced to them, was the specimen Hojo had clumsily tried to... breed Aeris with. It had seemed that the scientist had not realised the intellect the cat-like creature exhibited and he'd surprised them all by speaking. Unfortunately, Red been captured with the rest of the group as they attempted to flee the building. He was currently sharing a cell with Barret, destined to be delivered back into Hojo's hands along with the last Ancient tomorrow morning.

"How about you?" Aeris queried brightly. "Cloud been keeping you up?" The query was laced with innuendo.

"What? No! He's out like a light," Tifa replied and then sighed. "And I told you before, it's not like that with us..." Tifa trailed off. "Anyway, what about you promising him a date?"

"Oh that?" The flower girl giggled quietly. "Honestly, it was all I could think of. I had no money, the Turks were right there. I needed help. Your Cloud there is certainly not one for chivalry."

"He is not my Cloud..." retorted the martial artist.

"I'm sorry," drifted through the grill. 

Tifa sighed again. "So am I..."

"No, it was my fault. I was teasing you."

She shook her head, then realised the motion would be barely visible through the grill. "Not that. About before..."

"Before?" queried Aeris, sounding puzzled.

"When I snapped at you," Tifa replied feeling foolish now that she said it out loud.

"Oh, sweetie," she laid a hand on her side of the grill. "Don't worry about that."

"But- But... You hadn't done anything wrong, and I got annoyed at that date even though I keep telling you there's nothing between us..." she trailed off.

"It's really okay," came the reply. Aeris was picking at the grill with her fingers. "You sound like you need a hug though."

The martial artist smiled, "That'd be nice." She could just about see Aeris smile back in response. "Pity about this grill..."

"Another reason to hate Shinra then?"

She laughed, forgetting herself for a moment. "Oh my, yes!"

Aeris shushed her, laughing as well. "Don't wake Cloud!"

Tifa covered her mouth and looked round at the sleeping SOLDIER. Cloud's chest rose and fell as regularly as before; he hadn't been disturbed.

"Anyway," the other girl resumed, "That date is just a formality. I don't anticipate anything developing as a result."

"You really don't think of him like that?" she asked the emerald-eyed girl.

"Cloud? No. I can see he's crazy about you, but you're really not sure about him. And there's something you find odd about him. Something you don't want to talk about..."

The raven-haired girl marvelled at the other girl's perception. "Y-yeah" she replied.

"Don't worry. I won't pry," Aeris shifted her footing on the cot. The pair were silent for a moment. "You know," she continued after a moment, "Meeting him was like having broken déjà vu."

"'Broken déjà vu?'"

"Yes. In some ways he reminds me so much of a SOLDIER I knew years ago. But in every other way they're nothing alike."

An uncomfortable feeling settled into Tifa's stomach. She tried to ignore it. "You knew another SOLDIER? With Shinra after you all the time?"

Aeris giggled softly. "I know! Crazy isn't it? I'm not sure if he never worked out who I was, or just never reported finding a slum girl growing flowers. Maybe he was just never involved with the Turks' operations." She smiled at the memory, "He was a real ladies man though and he came to visit all the time. Oh, the people of Sector Five used to talk about that. So very rare to see a SOLDIER wandering the slums like that. And just to come and see little old me... Alas; nothing I said seemed to get through to him. I was never interested in him like that. He kept pestering me every now and again though, always asking if I had a boyfriend. And I always answered honestly."

Aeris let the implication hang in the air. Tifa caught it. Oh.

"I never minded his visits. While I was never interested in a relationship with him, he was fun to talk to. The stories he used to tell me about the high ranking Shinra staff; took a lot of their bite out of them..." She quietened, now serious. "For the most part..."

"What was his name?" Tifa asked. She almost didn't want to know, nor did she feel able to deal with the implications at present. But if she didn't ask, the curiosity was just going to frustrate her.

"Oh, the SOLDIER? Zack. Zack Fair."

The martial artist was barely listening. It had to be him. Didn't it? Her voice was strangled as she asked, "When did you last see him?"

Aeris pondered for a second. "About... five years ago I think?"

It was him. It had to be. He really did exist; her memories couldn't be as muddled as she had feared. The man in her cell, the man who was her childhood friend was assuredly not the SOLDIER that Aeris had known. That SOLDIER had visited Nibelheim with Sephiroth at the start of the chain of events that would ultimately destroy her hometown. Cloud... had not been there. But he somehow had the memories of the incident, memories that sounded like they should have been Zack's. As he gained coherence after she found him lying dazed and ill in the streets she realised he was reciting the events of those terrible days. Eventually, as the sickness passed, he talked to her about it at length, and fearing a relapse she corroborated his version of events... with some slight alterations to the way she remembered that time.

The brunette's voice broke into her thoughts. "I could speculate on what you're thinking about, but I don't really think you want me to." Tifa was silent, thankful for the other girl's perception. "On the other hand, we need to talk about something else, or it's going to keep you up all night worrying."

Tifa smiled weakly. "Are you psychic?"

"No, not psychic. But I can hear the planet remember?" She smiled. "I'm a Cetra."

"What's it like?" asked Tifa.

"Right now?" the Cetra tilted her head to one side, trying to listen. "Muffled."

"Muffled?"

"Well, not clear. It's... hard to describe. If I was in the church it'd be wonderfully clear and distinct. But here, or near one of the reactors? All I get is just a muddy impression."

"What is it saying - when you can hear it?"

Aeris smiled, slightly downcast. "There you have me at a loss. Sometimes I can hear my mother's voice and it's wonderful, but... I have no idea what it's trying to tell me. It's not really words as such, it's more... sensations. So many sensations all overlapping each other. And I don't know what to make of them."

Tifa was curious, "Doesn't it get frustrating hearing it all the time?"

"Thankfully, no! I don't know if I'm just used to it because it's always been there, but I find it calming. It's why I only ever really went between the church and my mother's house; the two places I've found flowers will grow in this city, and the two places I can hear the planet clearly."

The martial artist mused. "You'd have fit right in with Avalanche, you know."

"Am I not now?" came the mock-offended response.

The raven-haired girl blushed, "No, I meant-" She composed herself. "I'm not sure we'd have wanted you to risk life and limb on Barret's plans, but philosophically you'd have matched the goals of our little organisation."

"Like I said in Wall Market - I've grown up in the slums. I can take care of myself. But... Thank you. And of course I support your goals. If that theory about Mako energy is right... then if the reactors are... no longer working, then maybe finally Midgar could be filled with flowers."

Tifa smiled, "And that would be a sight to see." She fiddled with the flower tucked behind her ear. She'd paused in Elmyra's garden before they set off, entranced by the flowers that surrounded the house. "I hope you don't mind... I took a flower from your mother's garden."

The Cetra smiled, "How could I mind? I promised you another. I'm glad you like them so much."

Tifa stroked the petals gently with one finger, "They're amazing. I feel... I haven't seen flowers since I came to this city. I wish I could have met you sooner and bought your flowers."

"I would have welcomed your custom. It would have been nice to meet in better circumstances," Aeris smiled. "Thank you again as well."

"What for?"

"I think I might finally be able to get some sleep - as ill-advised as it is in this place. You've made me feel much better."

Tifa smiled. "Ditto."

"You're just through there if I need you though, right?"

"That's right. And you're there if I need you?" replied Tifa. 

"I am. Goodnight Tifa," drifted through the grill accompanied by a renewed rustling as Aeris lay down on the cot.

"Goodnight Aeris," she replied lying down herself. Her last thoughts before drifting sinking into sleep was a sunlit Midgar, bursting with greenery and wondrously coloured flowers.


	4. A Moment on Black Sand

Tifa watched Aeris slowly descending the thick cable that stretched from the edge of Midgar's upper plate to the black desert that surrounded the city. The sky had begun lightening, and she hoped that they would soon be able to rest. She took some solace in where she was; she had not left the city in five years, never setting foot outside since she had awoken. Her last memories of a world without a steel sky marred were with visions of her father slaughtered and her home ablaze. But here she was, outside once more. To be able to see the clear real sky again and not simply the underside of the upper plates, or the hazy night sky as Avalanche crept through the twilight hours. She'd almost forgotten that there was a world beyond Midgar... The desert sands she stood on and the chill wind were of less comfort, but she was thankful to put any distance between herself and the city. Especially after the events of the previous night.

They'd been awakened by Cloud who had found the door to their cell opened by an unknown and unseen force. The Masamune they had found impaling President Shinra and the garbled testimony of Palmer suggested the culprit was a ghost; the officially dead Shinra general Sephiroth. They found barely anyone else still alive, the floor and walls streaked with blood, and the bodies of Shinra staff littered everywhere. More people had died in the Sector Seven incident, but she had been spared any sight of the fallen; there was no avoiding the horrifically slain men and women within the Shinra building. Midgar had always felt an uncomfortable environment to live in, a place that you could never quite relax. It was as if there was always someone or something in the shadows waiting for you to let your guard down - just for a moment. The city would consume you and carry on as if you had never been there. It had been her home, as little as she had cared for it. Now it held nothing for her; her only friends still amongst the living were with her and her home crushed in the wreckage of Sector Seven.

She shivered despite the memory, remembering the tension as they tried to move as quietly as possible through the hallways of the dead Shinra building, following winding trails of blood that lead them back to the Shinra seat of power, and the dead body of President Shinra. The sight of another corpse did nothing to help her nerves, but what really distressed her was the Masamune. The sword that Sephiroth had wielded at Nibelheim, that had given her that long white scar down her chest, that Cloud insisted only the silver-haired SOLDIER could wield; Tifa was uncomfortably reminded of the moment she had tried to use it against its master. Despite her fear, despite every impulse telling her to turn tail and flee, the martial artist could not stop herself reaching out to make sure it was real.

The cold metal of the hilt was just as she remembered, just as her nightmares related. Sephiroth had been here, her nightmare had regained his physical form. The sole survivor, Palmer, had wailed and raved as Cloud demanded to know what the former general had done, eventually relating that the former general had vowed to prevent Shinra reaching the 'Promised Land', before he had slain the President. Their interrogation had been interrupted by a new arrival; the President's son Rufus more then ready to take the reins of his father's company, and use fear to keep the world bent to his will.

That Sephiroth was alive seemed to eat away at the former SOLDIER through the rest of the night as they sped away from the hateful headquarters of the Shinra Electric Company. Once they had reached the end of the highway and were able to look out to the wider world at last, he vowed to confront the general once more. He would not still be in the city, Cloud insisted adamant that he knew the SOLDIER's mind-set. And he had not simply come to the building to kill President Shinra. The strange headless body that had affected the blonde so much was gone; it's heavily barred and secured container ripped open and the torso now gone. Sephiroth had taken the body of Jenova for some dark purpose. Cloud was anxious to begin pursuit, whatever his previous plans were, whatever had drawn him on as they tried to make him stay and help Avalanche's cause were forgotten. Now their goals were tied to his; Barret took the mercenary at his word that the SOLDIER represented a greater threat to the Planet then Shinra, and was determined to help seek him out.

Red asked to accompany them to find a route back to his home of Cosmo Canyon, the last Cetra wishing to accompany him and maybe seek out her own Promised Land as her mother had described. The quadruped related a few half-remembered stories of the Cetra, apologising that he knew so little. His Grandfather was a treasure trove of knowledge and he should be able to tell Aeris some specifics of her heritage. Tifa had watched the flower girl turn to her in delight and ask if she would come too. Her smile... The martial artist wasn't sure she would ever be able to resist that smile. But she felt oddly out of place; she had no grand goal in mind like Cloud or Barret. No return to home like Red, and no quest for knowledge as motivated the last Ancient. She simply had no one else anymore; she did not want to be left behind. No, that was not quite true she realised. She wanted to go wherever Aeris did.

 

Looking back up to the dizzying height of the upper plate, Tifa could just about see Cloud, Barret and Red peering over the edge. How they were going to get Red or Barret down this way was beyond her at the moment. Had circumstances been different there would have been a far better way to exit the city.

"Hi!" called Aeris. She was a few metres above the ground now, sliding slowly down the wire, thick cloth bound around both her hands.

"Hi," replied the raven-haired girl, watching the Cetra descend, and moved forward to help her down. The flower girl reached the hooked end of the cable and stopped, her dress obstructing her movements. She fidgeted for a second and sighed.

"How am I going to get down from here?"

The martial artist smiled, "I'll catch you."

"Really? And I can trust you not to drop me?"

Tifa put her hands on her hips in mock-offence. "You've watched me haul Cloud out of filthy sewer water with one hand. I can carry you no problem. Unless you're heavier then him." She stuck her tongue out.

"I can't believe you'd even entertain that thought," replied Aeris, nose in the air. "I'm not coming down now."

"You're just going to hang there, while the other three stare at us from up there? Is it that comfortable?"

The brunette appeared to muse on this for a second. Tifa reached up with both hands to her friend's waist. "Come on..." The flower girl sighed, but her expression broke into a smile.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Aeris let go of the cable and then the raven-haired girl was holding her, catching her legs as they followed her. She tried to take a step back, but the sand shifted under her foot throwing her backwards. She landed shooting a plume of black sand up into the air as the brunette fell on top of her. They lay still for a moment.

"You smell a lot better now," came a quiet voice. "Very... familiar."

She looked down at Aeris who was making no effort to move. Emerald-coloured eyes looked into her wine-coloured. "Mother let you finally wash up in my house didn't she?"

Tifa grinned, "Thankfully. I'm not sure Shinra would have been quick to provide amenities for its prisoners." She sniffed. "You don't seem to have done so badly though."

The Cetra made a face; "If you can say that about 'specimen' preparation."

They fell silent for a moment.

"As nice as this is, we should probably tell the others it's okay to start coming down," the brunette offered. The raven-haired girl nodded in agreement. Aeris suddenly abruptly the martial artist and scrambled off of her. The plume of sand had started clearing and they could distantly see the others again. The flower girl waved which seemed to provoke a new argument between Barret and Cloud. Red just seemed to be sitting there, waiting for it to end. Turning, she offered a hand to the still prostrate Tifa and helped her to her feet.

They both looked up at the just visible figures; a resolution seemed to have been reached. Red was scrambling onto Cloud's back, somewhat precariously balanced across his shoulders. Very carefully the former SOLDIER took hold of the wire, letting himself swing out into space which provoked some scrabbling re-arrangement by the cat-like creature.

A motion beside Tifa's drew her gaze down from the duo now descending; Aeris had started re-buttoning her dress - it had popped open when they had fallen onto the sand. She found herself watching the flower girl's pale legs disappearing under the pink cloth. The Cetra stopped abruptly, looking down to the ground, seemingly only now realising what surface they were standing on. She picked up a handful of the black sand and straightened up.

"A black desert." The raven-haired girl shivered in the growing light. "Do you think it goes all around the city?" The brunette slowly turned, taking in 360 degrees of the landscape.

"Pretty sure," the martial artist murmured in reply, hugging her arms around herself to try to warm up. She looked down at the sand. "It's the reactors. It has to be. They've drained all the life from around Midgar. I can't see any of the eight villages being founded in a desert like this."

The flower girl nodded slowly. "Bereft of life," she said absently, and let the sand fall from her hand. "The whole Planet isn't like this is it?"

With faint dread Tifa replied, "I hope not. If it is, then all of Avalanche's efforts have been in vain." She shook her head. "It can't have gotten that bad already..."

Aeris didn't reply, and glanced around the landscape again. The sun was creeping over the horizon, its light barely penetrating the murky haze that hung above the city. They watched the light creep across the land, bringing colour and definition with it. "Aeris, look!"

"I see it!" Black sand surrounded them for miles, but beyond it they could see a wondrous green grassland. It seemed to circle the black desert, as the black desert circled Midgar. The martial artist breathed a sigh of relief and Aeris clasped her hands together in joy. The Planet was still okay. But for how long? Tifa felt something warm slide around her waist, and then a weight on her shoulder. The flower girl was hugging her from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. 

"It's cold," the Cetra explained, squeezing Tifa slightly again. "You don't mind do you?"

"N-No," stuttered the martial artist. The warmth emanating from Aeris' body was a welcome relief from the cold morning air. She crossed her arms over the brunette's, smiling as they watched Cloud and Red's clumsy descent.


	5. A Moment of Kalm

Tifa lay on her bed trying not to listen to the muffled conversations from the next room. They had trekked from Midgar to Kalm over the course of the day and stopped at the town despite Cloud's eagerness to keep moving. She felt exhausted, but despite lying down, sleep just wasn't coming to her.

They'd spent the last few hours listening as Cloud related what he knew of Sephiroth and his last known location; a topic the martial artist was painfully unable to avoid giving her input on. She'd been there and her memories of the events were only minutes shorter then Cloud's. It still frustrated her that there was a five year hole in his memory filled with only confused fragments until the moment he was found by the bewildered Tifa in the slums of Midgar. He had told his story today in exactly the same way he related it to her once he was coherent enough to converse with. She'd filled in small details and little gaps of knowledge, still unable to broach the subject: that the other SOLDIER at Nibelheim was Zack. The alleged SOLDIER had never returned home. But his memories were vivid, if... patchy. There was something evasive about his descriptions of his visit to the reactor and yet he described re-uniting with his mother with real sorrow, remembering all too clearly her death as part of Sephiroth's destructive actions. The major sequence of the events were fine, but there was always detail missing in places. And it seemed only she noticed.

She sighed. Dwelling on this wasn't going to help her. She devoutly hoped that those events would be of no more significance, that there would be no issue with the wrong SOLDIER relating events he hadn't witnessed. She wanted to stop reliving and recounting those dark days. She turned her mind back to earlier in the day instead. This was easier, and nicer to reflect on. She and Aeris had watched Cloud descend from the upper plate, Red holding on for dear life and finally dropping to the sand with an oath to never go abseiling again. The blonde SOLDIER itched to get moving from the second his feet touched the ground. She had needed to remind him more then once to wait for the struggling Barret to slither awkwardly down the wire. Tifa had previously been amazed with the speed the Avalanche leader had scrambled up the dangling wire that lead from the Wall Market to the upper plates, but that had been a vastly easier climb. The route had been punctuated with debris and skeletal remains to pull themselves up higher. Here there was just a wire, and his gun-arm was proving a serious impediment.

He'd saluted towards city once down there, promising to return for Marlene, and thanking Elmyra for agreeing to look after his daughter. The flower girl offered a similar thank you, bowing carefully towards Sector Five. Cloud barely paid attention to this little ceremony, his eyes roving over the landscape, and Red had flopped down in the sand, tail snaking from side to side, waiting. He had no love for the city or anyone in it. The raven-haired girl would not miss the city either; not now. She offered the same thanks as the brunette, but added a brief tribute to their fallen comrades and the people of Sector Seven. Barret swore under his breath, and quickly muttered something similar. Tifa felt a touch on her arm, and found the Cetra offering a weak smile of concession. "Thank you," the martial artist mouthed, squeezing the other girl's hand gently.

Their goodbyes said, the party started out across the black sand. Barret had suggested heading towards the nearby town of Kalm; they were not prepared for venturing across open country and should be able to source all the things they needed there. Cloud had almost protested at the detour, but reluctantly agreed they did need at least some provisions before they set out into the wilderness. Barret reckoned they could make the town just before night-fall.

Aeris was incredibly curious about her new companions; neither Barret nor Red having had a chance to talk to her and in the chaos of their escape had no time to be properly introduced. She fired all kinds of questions at the initially gruff Avalanche leader, who quickly mellowed in her company. She asked about Marlene, Avalanche, his own past... He laughed as he related moments with Marlene, and scowled as Shinra and the Mako reactors came up. Not wanting to ignore her other companion, the flower girl eventually started asking Red XIII questions, the others much more interested in anything the quadruped had to say. He was older then any of them it turned out, his adopted Grandfather insisting his species was remarkably long-lived. There was a moment of pain in his eyes as he related that both the name and any other survivors of his species were lost.

The Cetra defused the situation by asking where he had lived before, and Red at length described the hidden settlement of Cosmo Canyon. She was captivated by the lure of the old knowledge the settlement boasted; texts that he'd had no desire to read previously, but promised insights to the Cetra race. Awkwardly she threw an arm around him and pointed out they should stick together as they were both the last known members of their respective races. The cat-like creature seemed to smile at this, and his flame-tipped tail swished in response.

Tifa hung back, simply watching and listening. And while she listened again to Barret's stories and Red's past, she found her eyes never strayed too far from Aeris. Except to check on Cloud; she wasn't sure if he was listening to anything or was just striding ahead single-mindedly. Every now and again he got too far ahead and the martial artist called out for him to wait. He did, grudgingly while the others caught up with him, and then he stomped on again.

Things abruptly changed when they finally passed from the cold black sand, to the initially scrubby, but increasingly verdant grassland. The Cetra paused on the divide, her eyes widening. She took a few more stumbling steps forward and sank onto her knees.

"I can hear it. I can hear the planet," she gasped.

"Is it different from before?" asked the raven-haired girl rushing over to her.

"Oh yes," she replied, "It's clearer. I feel I can almost understand it now..."

Tifa looked around for Cloud, certain that he would have charged ahead and need reminding that they couldn't keep up with his pace. To her amazement he was still, only a few paces further forward, looking around as if seeing the landscape for the first time. Their trek became easier; he walked at a slower, steadier pace, letting Barret take the lead. It wasn't until they could see Kalm approaching and the grassland began to die off as they neared the town's rectors that Cloud's haunted need to keep moving returned. It coincided with a slowing of Aeris' pace. After her moment of clarity with the planet, she seemed reluctant to dampen it again. But, her own human needs eventually won out; they had been walking all day, and needed rest. The promise of a clean, soft bed and hot food drew her and the others into the town proper.

After a good meal, Barret had demanded to know what Cloud knew of Sephiroth and his disappearance. The former SOLDIER began relating the tale that Tifa knew so uncomfortably well.

 

There was a soft knock on the door. She closed her eyes feigning sleep as the door opened. "Hey," came a soft voice. The muffled conversation from next door continued, occasionally punctuated with an outburst from what sounded like the Avalanche leader.

"Hey," replied Tifa, recognising the speaker. She opened her eyes but did not roll over. Aeris padded softly into the room and closed the door.

"I noticed you'd slipped away before. And given the hour, and Barret's demand for even more detail on events, I decided to call it a night as well." She sat on the bed, facing away. The martial artist didn't respond. "I'm sorry you had to go through that again... Not a pleasant subject."

"No..." admitted Tifa with a sigh.

"And I get the feeling that those events have something to do with that thing you don't want to talk about?"

The raven-haired nodded, then realised the brunette could not see the motion. "Yes."

"And you feel no desire to get this matter off your chest?"

"No. It'd... just cause problems."

Aeris was silent a moment. "And this has nothing to do with Cloud's less then subtle crush on you?"

"No. That I could deal with. I think."

Both fell silent, and the flower girl turned to look down at the martial artist. "You know, you can talk to me about anything."

"I know," she responded. The Cetra smiled.

"I'm not trying to pry or get you to admit anything; you don't have to worry." She laid a hand on Tifa's bare arm. Her touch was cool and soft. "It's just...," she continued, "It's just I see you dragging this burden around with you, and I see it wearing you down." She remained silent. "You don't need this hanging over you."

"I know."

"But I promised," the girl in pink paused. "Okay, so still not prying, just remember you can tell me anything in confidence."

She smiled slightly. "I know." She cursed softly. Was that all she could say? "Thank you."

"You're more then welcome," Aeris smiled and pulled her boots off. "Should think about sleep soon..."

Tifa sighed. "Yeah. And no beds like these for some time after."

"Then we should enjoy them while we can!" The raven-haired suddenly felt the brunette lying beside her, curling her body to match the martial artist's as she had earlier on the sand. She started, but then relaxed enjoying the warmth of the girl's body pressing against her. The Cetra's right arm slid around her waist, while her left slid under her neck. They lay in silence for a moment.

"You don't mind, do you?" Aeris murmured after a moment.

Tifa paused, head filled with contradictory thoughts, before being honest. "No."

"You really looked like you needed a hug."

She smiled. "Thank you."

"Goodnight, Tifa."

"Goodnight, Aeris."

The martial artist felt the flower girl squeeze her a bit tighter, and sleep suddenly overwhelmed her, and she drifted into peaceful blackness, embraced by the girl in pink.

 

She was woken the next morning by sunlight streaming through a gap in the curtains and was slightly disappointed to find there was no one sleeping beside her and that Aeris had retreated to her own bed on the opposite side of the room.


	6. A Moment at Dusk

Tifa watched from the doorway as Cloud was thrown from the back of the chocobo he was riding. This provoked a mocking laugh from Barret. Aeris rode up to the prostrate man and appeared to be offering some advice. He was smiling and nodding; despite his noticeable lack of skill he seemed to be enjoying himself. He'd lost that nervous energy to keep moving once they'd left the outskirts of Kalm; that barely repressed energy and that frantic need to keep moving had melted away as they struck out into the grasslands vastly better prepared than when they had left Midgar.

Aeris' joy at just experiencing the world was infectious. It shouldn't really have been a surprise. Locked within Midgar they only caught glimpses of the sky between the edges of the plates. Tifa at least could remember the openness of Nibelheim before everything had gone so wrong. Unfortunately the flower girl only had memories of laboratories before the dingy, tepid murk of the Midgar slums. She drank in the sight of the landscape like a fine wine and became giddy. She'd repeatedly bumped into the martial artist, all accidents she insisted, hands landing on arms and waists as she steadied herself from an apparent fall.

The trek from Kalm had been pleasant and Tifa always found herself walking side by side with the flower girl. Their conversations were oddly effortless; just talking to her was so simple. It was as if she knew precisely what the raven-haired girl was going to say before she said it, like it was an oft-repeated anecdote that she was more then willing to hear again.

She found herself relating what life in Nibelheim had been like, how the town had felt so isolated after Cloud and the rest of her gang had left to seek their fortune in the capital. And involuntarily rubbing along the ruler straight line of her scar, she told Aeris of her long convalescence, the pain of the first weeks when she was conscious, and her sheer fortune that the blade had not cut deeper. As the money ran out she was eventually forced out of the hospital and into the slums, so many questions still buzzing in her head. Who'd paid for the treatment to date, who had bound her wounds at the reactor and who had carried her all the way to the city? A name had occurred at the time naturally. She'd dismissed it; he hadn't fulfilled that promise. The boy from her childhood had not been there, and to be able to afford the medical aid she'd needed was beyond anything he'd be able to afford... It also did not mesh with the alarming encounter some years later as she found him lying in the street, that suspicious hole in his memories between moving to strike at General Sephiroth and the beginnings of his focus when he was at least coherent enough to gurgle her name.

Eventually she'd shifted the conversation to Aeris and her childhood. To Tifa's relief she'd been quite content to drop the subject and talk about her own past, and had almost regretted the subject at first. Unexpectedly the flower girl seemed willing to open up to her more then she had to Elmyra; she related the sorrowful memories of her real mother; trapped in a lab within the Shinra building, and spoke evasively of the cruel tests performed on her that always left her wracked with pain. There were the hazy and confused memories as her mother had finally escaped the lab, her young daughter bundled in her arms, and the frightful crack of the bullet that sealed her mother's fate. She'd watched sobbing as her life ebbed away on a station in Sector Five while Elmyra wrapped her arms around her. The martial artist was horrified that she'd brought the subject up, hastily apologising for prying into such a delicate subject.

Aeris didn't blink and simply smiled at her. The flower girl took death in her stride, always seeing a positive even as someone passed away; knowing they had returned to the Planet. Tifa interrupted then to ask what that phrase meant. The flower girl tilted her head to one side as she considered how best to answer.

"It's something my mother always used to say while I could still hear her clearly. Her voice has faded since then, but during that first year with Mom she was always talking to me. She said she had returned to the Planet, and that all living things would eventually do the same." She looked slightly saddened. "I thought I couldn't hear her voice anymore because of Midgar, like how I could only get my flowers to grow in those two spots. But even out here, I can't hear her as clearly as I used to..."

Aeris' skill with growing flowers had been discovered by happy accident; Elmyra had been trying for years to grow anything in her unusually secluded section of Sector Five. But the soil, the little of it not obviously otherwise contaminated, choked the life of the few seeds she was ever able to plant. She tried once more a few weeks after her the orphan came to live with her, taking her new daughter into the barren garden to dig at the soil. Gardening seemed to come naturally to her daughter, and she dug quickly and gently with her fingers, folding seeds into the soil. Elmyra was astonished a few days later to see grass growing up from Aeris' efforts, and that her daughter was already in the garden planting more seeds. Soon the land around the house was carpeted with grass and flowers. Tifa smiled; she'd seen the results of the flower girl's handiwork first hand, her hand again brushing the flower in her hair.

It had been Aeris' idea to sell the flowers around Midgar and she had been excited at the prospect of spreading the colourful blossoms around the city to counter the oppressive gloom. It was while she was selling the flowers years later that she finally dared to look into the ruined church that lay in Sector Five. It had always exuded a strange pull on her, and one day she finally given in, walking on the creaking floorboards inside. For all wear and damage to the exterior, the church was remarkably well preserved. The floorboards were shattered near the rear of the church by a section of fallen masonry; beneath them lay a precious cache of fertile soil. She could scarcely believe it - the ground around Elmyra's house could only just support the efforts of her gardening, but this was something else.

The church became her secret garden, growing slowly over the years as she pulled up more floorboards and planted more and more seeds. It was her second home, a place of peace and privacy. She couldn't bring herself to sell these special flowers often, she was happy just to cultivate them, and... She blushed slightly. She'd bring her lovers to that secret place as well. Tifa's mind was still reeling from the thought of the church, slightly jealous that Cloud had seen it; she'd been amazed at the flower beds around Elmyra's house. For there to be better flowers... Aeris promised to take her to see them if they ever went back to Midgar.

"It's a date" said the martial artist.

"So, now I owe two dates?" the Cetra asked smiling.

 

The farmhouse was the first structure they'd seen since leaving Kalm. Beyond it a mountain range jutted up forming a natural barrier across the land. Red suggested they stop there; they could at least find out if there was an easy route past the mountains. As they drew closer they could see the pens filled with huge yellow birds; chocobos. The elderly couple who ran the farm were friendly, informative but insistent that the only way through the mountains was via the swamp and that they'd need chocobos to ford it.

"Why?" Cloud had asked.

"The Midgar Zolom," was the flat reply from 'Choco' Bill. "Footing is so bad in the swamp you haven't a hope of outrunning it. The chocobos can do it easily though. Haven't much hope for that man in black making it across..."

The ex-SOLDIER had started at the comment, demanding more detail of the stranger they had watched wade into the marshes some days earlier. The man had silver hair and ignored everything the farmer had yelled after him. Cloud wanted to begin pursuit immediately, though Bill was reluctant to loan any of his chocobos to the group; they would be impossible to retrieve, and it seemed pointless to sell the few he had remaining. All he could offer them was a place to stay for the night before they either tried to ford the swamp on their own ("Suicide," Bill muttered) or try and snare enough chocobos to get them across. Aeris queried how they could catch their own, but Cloud insisted that they'd be able to deal with the inhabitants of the swamp. Barret concurred. The farmer offered assistance with the chocobos if they changed their mind and warned them to get out of the swamp if they drew the attention of the Zolom.

They enjoyed a pleasant evening at the farm; the house was warm and comfortable, the food good, and Red was even allowed to join them at the table after the couple got over their shock at his intellect. He ate awkwardly and slightly messily, always apologising. He was trying to be delicate, but seemed delighted that he was treated no differently to his companions. Only Cloud seemed distracted, his gaze always drawn back in the direction of the swamp and Sephiroth.

 

At first light they set off for the swamp. The scale of it was daunting; miles of mist wreathed barely solid murk. Tifa thought she saw movement from the corner of her eye, but a glance in that direction revealed nothing. Barret's nerve started to crumble once they approached the edge but Cloud was resolute and led the group in. Footing was worse then poor; their legs sank into noxious water and required desperate struggling to free themselves. The SOLDIER took a few more tottering steps further in before the martial artist noticed more another movement headed straight for them. A faint hissing grew louder.

"Cloud! Get out of there!"

A Midgar Zolom loomed up out of the mire, towering above them. It's massive jaw opened to reveal thin pointed teeth. Cloud stumbled backwards in shock, splashing down into the swamp as the creature advanced. He tried desperately to scramble backwards to firmer footing. With a curse Barret backed onto more solid ground and began firing, running parallel to the swamp and away from the struggling man. As the Zolom's attention shifted, Red darted in, grabbing Cloud's collar and pulling him backwards. Tifa grabbed his arm, and with some kicking from the blonde SOLDIER they got him clear of the swamp.

"We need to get out of here," advised Aeris. 

The raven-haired girl called to Barret, trying to pin down the Zolom with machine-gun fire as he dodged the creature's venomous spit. "We've got him. Fall back!"

Barret nodded and raked the snake's body with fire as he turned and ran. The creature's attention wavered for a moment, distracted by something - Barret didn't see what as he fled. The Zolom had spotted the other group, and finding it's original prey gone, it hissed again and spat. The liquid smacked into Tifa, soaking through her clothes and knocking her to the ground. Aeris cried out in panic as she struggled to sift through her materia to find something to counteract the poison as the other girl dropped into unconsciousness.

 

She awoke suddenly, fearing for the looming Zolom. It was gone; she was sat in a bed at the farmhouse. Alone. Had they left her and gone off on their own? A sudden fear gripped her when she heard a faint roar from outside, and then she relaxed; Barret. Relief flooded through her and she stretched. The poison's after-effects still lingered in her limbs and she was unsteady on her feet. Maybe she shouldn't be up just yet, but she wanted to see the others, and if they were leaving soon, she really didn't want to get left behind. Bracing herself against the wall and with increasingly sure steps she made it downstairs to the door of the farmhouse. Cloud sailed through the air and into the churned up mud of the enclosure.

As Aeris finished her advice to Cloud, she caught sight of Tifa and broke into a smile. Urging her chocobo forward she vaulted the fence with a fluttering of wings and swiftly ran over to her.

"Tifa! You're awake!" Aeris looked relieved.

"Hi," she replied weakly.

"I'm glad the healing worked," the chocobo-mounted girl continued. "It was touch and go for a while. Sorry I wasn't there when you came to."

Tifa smiled. "It's okay. Really. Thank you."

Aeris smiled back. "We're almost ready to cross the swamp. We caught these chocobos this morning. I think Cloud's the only one still not getting on well with them."

The martial artist glanced past her to where the rest of their party watched Cloud struggle up onto his chocobo once more. Barret waved, and Red's tail swished as he nodded towards her.

"What's Red going to do?"

"We decided it would be best if he rode with Barret. He can't really guide them with his physique..."

"What about me? Shouldn't I start practising?"

"Well..." Aeris mused. "As your physician I was going to suggest you ride with me. In case of emergency, naturally."

The other girl smiled. "Is that going to be okay?"

"They seemed okay with Barret and Red, so I don't see why not." She looked up past the farmhouse for a moment. "Of course, we could check..." She smiled and held out her hand to Tifa. The raven-haired girl hesitated for a moment before taking it and pulled herself up behind Aeris.

"Hang on!" advised the rider. Her passenger wrapped her arms around her physician's waist. "Ready," she replied. The Cetra was smiling. She whispered something she didn't catch to the chocobo and it started cantering forward. Aeris spoke again and it accelerated. Tifa turned watching the farm and her companions slide into the distance as the bird ran. It was strangely relaxing. Looking ahead she could see they were heading for the cliffs that jutted up beside the swamp, and was surprised when the chocobo flapped its wings and hopped nimbly up from outcrop to outcrop. It crested the cliff-top and the brunette nudged it forward a few paces before whispering something new. The chocobo gracefully crouched down.

"Thank you," she whispered, receiving a happy wounding whistle in response. She slid off its back and helped Tifa to her feet. From this vantage point they could see the awe-inspiring structure of Midgar ahead of them, pin-pricks of light glinting from all over its surface. In this moment she might have called the city oddly beautiful, but it would always be tainted with less than pleasant memories. She shivered, and Aeris clasped her hand.

"The view the other direction is much nicer," she murmured. Tifa turned and gasped; ahead the sun was beginning to slide over the horizon and the landscape was suffused with an orange glow. They'd seen sunsets on their way from Kalm, Aeris unable to keep herself from marvelling at each one, the sight still so new to her. The martial artist had seen similar sights long ago, back in Nibelheim, but it had been so long since then. This was yet another thing that Midgar took from its denizens. They stood, silently watching the sky, Tifa aware that the flower girl still held her hand.

"Here," the Cetra held out a delicate red flower with her other hand. "Your other flower was ruined in the mess yesterday. I found this one this morning. I hope you like it." She looked oddly nervous. The martial artist's hand jerked to her hair automatically; there was no longer a flower there.

"Thank you, Aeris. It looks beautiful." She took the flower and hooked it behind her ear. How had she gotten into this habit? It didn't matter she realised; she simply loved wearing the flowers.

The Cetra smiled, her face slightly flushed. "It's sort of a get well present as well. I'm glad you're okay."

Tifa smiled. "A little achy, but otherwise fine. Feels like you did a great job healing me. Thank you for that."

"You're more then welcome. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Unsure of how to respond, the raven-haired girl simply stared out at the sunset and felt something soft connect with her cheek. She turned as the brunette pulled back, Tifa's hand reached to the cheek she'd kissed. Her friend lifted a hand to her other cheek, cradling it gently. And there was nothing else to say. The Cetra moved her head forward and her lips met Tifa's. Aeris' lips were warm and soft, and she felt her head tilting just slightly and her eyes closing. It was gentle, and sweet and perfect and-

"Hey guys!" A voice disrupted the moment. The martial artist's eyes snapped open and she lurched back breaking the connection with Aeris. Cloud had just crested the cliff as well, riding proudly on the back of a chocobo. The flower girl sighed very faintly and turned to him, all smiles.

"Looking good Cloud."

He was looking pretty pleased with himself.

"You bet. That last bit of advice really helped."

He seemed to notice Tifa then, and looked slightly guilty. "Hi... Good to see you up again." He struggled to find the words. "Sorry that I got you into that." 

She thanked him, assuring him it was okay, far too distracted by what he had interrupted. She realised he was still talking to her.

"Sure you don't want to practice riding yourself?"

She shook her head. "I'm good thanks. Still not quite one hundred percent. I'll ride with Aeris."

"You can have a go now if you'd like," suggested the Cetra.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't worry," the brunette smiled. "I'll help."

An impulse seemed to grip Cloud. "How about a race?"

"A race?" Aeris looked confused. "Her first time on a chocobo and you want to race her?"

Cloud looked embarrassed. "Ah, yeah..."

"It's okay," Tifa responded. "You'll tell me what to do won't you?" she asked Aeris and was rewarded with a smile. "I will."

"Two versus one," mused Cloud. "Seems a little unfair..."

"This was your idea," teased Aeris. "And otherwise I have to stay behind on this cliff and wait for someone to come back." Tifa was now astride the chocobo and her partner slid on behind her, wrapping her arms around the other's waist. "Don't worry," she whispered, "We'll beat him easily". The other girl smiled, and again the Cetra whispered something she couldn't catch and the chocobo stood up. "Ready?" Another whisper in her ear. The sensation tickled slightly, but awakened little shivers of pleasure that ran down her neck. Couldn't she whisper more to her? 

"Ready," she replied after a pause.

"On your marks. Get set. Go!" Aeris intoned. Cloud flicked the reins and Tifa was about to copy the motion when her passenger whispered something and the chocobo set off. Both bird ran forward, the chocobo's wings unfurling as they dropped off the cliff, each chocobo hitting a different outcrop as they skittered towards the ground. The martial artist gripped the reins, not sure what to do as the bird skipped toward the ground. She was faintly aware that the flower girl was still whispering. Both birds reached the ground at almost the same time, and her opponent flicked his reins again, leaning forward to urge his mount on.

Aeris' breath tickled her ear again. "Hold on tight," and with another whisper the chocobo sprinted. Cloud fell rapidly behind them, and Tifa relished the air rushing past her and the press of the body behind her.

 

"Aeris?"

"Mmm?" came the drowsy response. Tifa paused, wondering how to even broach this subject.

"What you did... before... well... before Cloud interrupted..." She trailed off, glad it was dark and her blushing face was mostly hidden. She took a breath. She could do this. "I... I liked it." She felt silly now. What a blunt way to say 'I loved kissing you.'

"I'm glad," came the warm reply. It sounded like she was smiling.

"I'm sorry as well," the raven-haired girl added. "I've... never done anything like this before. I just never wanted... I mean I don't know how relationships work. I mean... I've read about relationships, but I've never... done anything. I just don't want to do the wrong thing." She screwed up her eyes. She'd said it. Said it in a roundabout, evasive way.

"Tifa!" Aeris sounded relived. "Don't worry about that. I thought you were going to turn me down."

Tifa giggled at that, "How could I turn you down? I like you Aeris." She cursed, "Sorry, that just sounds such a trite way to say it." She felt awkward but oddly relieved for having said it though.

"It sounded perfectly good to me," Aeris sounded happy. "Of course..." she added, "There are other ways to make your affections clear."

In the gloom, she could just about see the flower girl flip the edge of her sheets back, and shuffle closer to the wall making room in her bed. Tifa nervously took the invitation, darting across the room and onto the other bed. She pulled the sheets back around her, and felt Aeris' arms wrap around her. Her heart was pounding at her daring as she planted a quick kiss on her girlfriend's lips, before burying her head in her partner's chest. She felt the Cetra kiss her hair, and then squeeze her gently. The martial artist smiled and drifted off into a contented sleep.


	7. A Moment at Sea

Tifa watched through the porthole as Junon slid away, the immense cargo vessel heading out into deeper waters. She was crouched on the main stairs, still dressed in the Shinra infantry uniform. She wished Aeris could have watched this with her, and the slight pang of worry hit her again; she knew she had to talk to her girlfriend. She still felt slightly odd thinking of the flower girl in that way, but this was tempered by how she made her feel. The martial artist had spend each day since the chocobo farm anticipating the approaching evening when they could cosy up together as the fire slowly died. Alone in their tent, they would share a series of passionate kisses before falling asleep in each other's arms. Tifa had been looking forward to the additional comfort and privacy that the port of Junon would afford them until-

"Oh gawd. I really am going to be sick."

A shorter infantry pushed past her, unsteadily heading for the upper deck. Tifa recognised her, despite the hand clasped over her mouth and the green complexion. Yuffie. They'd run into her a few days outside of Junon, catching her trying to pick Cloud's pocket. They were more surprised by her Wutainese looks then her attempted theft. The war was long over, but certain tensions remained between the world's two super-powers, the young girl repeatedly and loudly announcing her plan to acquire materia and facilitate a return to greatness for her defeated country.

Barret was only too happy to discover another person with such an obvious anti-Shinra sentiment even if Yuffie's concern for the planet was near non-existent. She elected to travel with them, prying into the number and type of materia they were carrying between them. Red voiced a quite note of concern about her priorities to Tifa, while Aeris seemed entirely happy to engage the teenager in conversation. The martial artist's heart sank with the worry over what this new addition would do to her quiet intimate nights; would they now have to share rooms and tents with the ninja as well?

Tifa had been unsure if Aeris' behaviour would alter based on their new companion. Neither of them had felt the need to disclose to the others that their situation was now changed. She'd caught the odd questioning glance from Red; inevitable perhaps as she was forever holding Aeris' hand. The pair whispered to each other throughout the day, and would find near any excuse to split off from the others - even if for just a moment or two. All just to embrace again. It hadn't really been necessary to worry about their new party member; Yuffie took one look at the pair of them the first evening in the camp, rolled her eyes and started asking Cloud about Mako reactors.

"She knows," whispered the martial artist a little later. She'd waited until Yuffie appeared to be asleep and squirmed over to her lover inside the tent.

"She does," agreed Aeris. "She does and she doesn't care. I'm thankful." Tifa was surprised, and her partner smiled sadly at her, "Not everyone is so accepting."

There was a hint of pain there, something from her past and her sexuality that had caused a problem. The curiosity was maddening, but the raven-haired girl was certain she wouldn't want to know the details. The flower girl had inferred past romance while they hiked from Kalm, but that appeared to be the limit of the information she would volunteer. What had happened to her exes? How were they... and how did Tifa compare? She tried to assure herself that Aeris wasn't judging her. She seemed so pleased to be in her company and to spend time with her. It felt wonderful. But there was a nagging need to find out at the back of her mind, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. She would wind up asking her. She just hoped she wouldn't regret it. And for now she decided to put aside worrying about Yuffie. From that night on she didn't try to avoid being seen with the flower girl; she nestled in close and was relieved to see the ninja made no comment when they curled around each other at night.

They had tried to cut back on their more passionate moments; Aeris had looked as disappointed as Tifa felt when she made the suggestion, but had agreed that it would not be fair on the other occupant of their tent. So they snatched moments when they could.

 

The last had been while in Junon and had not ended well. Tifa, Aeris and Yuffie had been raiding a locker room to disguise themselves as infantry to pass through the streets and attract as little attention as possible. They'd been held up in the lower city of Junon for two days as they tried to locate a ship to ferry them across the sea. By unhappy chance, Rufus Shinra was due in the city a few days after they arrived and the port had shut down to accommodate the celebration of his rise to power. Every inch of the streets appeared to now have cameras pointed at it, and additional security was peering intently at the crowd. The next cargo ship was scheduled to leave port at the end of the festivities and they were determined to be on board. The impatient Cloud had been clumsily flung up onto the lower reaches of the massive pylons that supported the city's upper plate by Barret, and he had vanished into the city above. Unwilling and unable to repeat the action for each other, the remainder of the party took more time to evade the guards and security, stretched thinner by the additional distractions of the parade and the head of the corporation. They were able make their way to the upper city by more mundane means, agreeing to split up and make their own ways to the ship.

Red saw no possible success in disguising himself and elected instead to sneak into one of the buildings that lined the Junon main street and leap from roof top to roof top towards the port. The three girls had managed to find infantry uniforms, and Yuffie had set to digging through the lockers and the owner's personal effects.

"We might look a little shorter compared to most of them, but no one should give us a second glance," mused Aeris as she sorted the uniforms as close to their sizes as possible. Yuffie wasted no time changing into hers, having scraped the meagre pickings from the room. She left with scarcely a backward glance as the brunette finished changing. As soon as the door closed, the flower girl wrapped her arms around the barmaid and brought their lips together. There was an additional passion in the kiss, a need met that hadn't been fulfilled since they'd picked up the ninja.

Tifa kissed back fiercely as Aeris' tongue found its way into her mouth. The raven-haired girl gasped as her lover's lips then suddenly moved to her neck, and she moaned. "Aeris..." She tried to speak, but her girlfriend had brought their lips together once more. Oh, it felt good, the feel of the arms encircling her, the softness of her lips, her tongue... The hands on her waist had moved, one toyed with her leg and the hem of her skirt, the other slid up her body to her chest. She broke the kiss and tried to speak again; "Aeris..." Her lover's hands were on her and suddenly it was too much; she was absurdly uncomfortable. Tifa gasped, "Stop!"

Aeris froze. "Oh... Tifa..." Her hands fell away and she stepped back. "I'm so sorry! That was too fast wasn't it?"

She nodded clumsily, breathing hard, hands clutching at her chest and skirt; her expression embarrassed and fearful.

Tears welled up in her girlfriend's eyes. "I'm so sorry." And she was gone, stepping through the door and away before Tifa could think.

"Aeris," she breathed to an empty room. It had been too fast, those hands suddenly on her, touching her intimately. The martial artist shivered. The Cetra had scared her, but she never intended to send her running like that. Desperate anxieties now gripped her. Would she still be accepted if she held back like this? But she wasn't comfortable just giving herself over like that. They needed to talk, and as soon as possible. Already she missed the touch of her hand, and involuntarily her hands touched the same spots Aeris had. She was not yet ready to be touched there...

She pulled the infantry helmet on and exited the room, finding no sign of her girlfriend. Her heart leapt at the sight of every infantryman, hoping that it might be Aeris. But, no. The body language was wrong, the height was wrong; they were too tall, too relaxed, or too militant.

She walked, scarcely paying attention to where she was going. A door behind her closed with a heavy clang and she found herself outside, wind whistling around her. She tugged at the door; locked. Cursing she turned and took stock of the situation. A walkway extended out from where she stood disappearing around the bulky structure she'd exited from. Overhead the enormous barrel of the Mako canon extended out over the choppy waters of the dark sea, dizzying in scale. She rounded a corner and stopped, overwhelmed by a new sight.

Ahead, straining against the ropes securing it, was an airship. She'd never seen anything like it; hanging massively and almost impossibly in the air, propellers lazily shifted by the wind. Impulses now shot through her; to cross the sea in that craft rather then sneaking aboard a cargo vessel... Leaning with Aeris against the rail and watching as the landscape passed silently beneath them. The thought of her girlfriend caused the discomfort of that moment in the locker room to resurface, and tension settled into her stomach. A movement caught her eye; the ship teemed with Shinra infantry; gaining control would be tricky. It had been a nice dream, but they could hardly take the ship quickly, quietly and unnoticed.

She took one last look at the floating vessel before turning and following the walkway further around. A turned corner revealed she was high above the Junon main-street. Cheering crowds lined the thorough-fare, shadowed by the gigantic bulk of the city in the cliffs high above. In the distance, where the plate dipped down and prevented any expansion to the village below, was the dock and with it, the ship. Tifa felt relieved; she'd had worried visions of seeing it sail away without her, taking her companions and her girlfriend across the sea, leaving her here alone. She shivered, and moved quickly to the set of gantries that ran down to street level.

 

It had seemed as if everyone but her had some excuse for crossing the sea, outside of an unspoken impulse to stay together. Red wanted to return home, as did Yuffie. Aeris wanted to see the world at last and learn the secrets Red had implied could be found within Cosmo Canyon. Cloud was set on confronting Sephiroth once more... They'd encountered the Turks unexpectedly after crossing the swamp nearly a week before; the trio of Tseng, Rude and their new recruit Elena had let slip that Sephiroth had been reportedly seen in the Junon port; it was easy to conjecture he was looking for a way to cross to the Western Continent. 

It still felt slightly silly to her, that she was unable to define a more 'sensible' reason to herself for following the others across the sea. She simply wanted to stay with her girlfriend; it seemed so trivial compared to what motivated her companions. Though with that thought the pit in her stomach opened again. Was she now too late to be with Aeris? She couldn't simply offer herself the way her physician wanted her, not yet, but... She still wanted to be with her.

She reached the cargo ship with time to spare. Infantry and dockworkers hurried in and out of the hold ferrying crates. She'd caught snippets of conversation as she'd worked her way over here; there was some problem with the airship and so the President was to be transferred to the cargo ferry as he conducted his tour of Shinra's domain. Rufus was on-board? Inwardly the raven-haired girl groaned, praying that Barret did not learn of this and blow their cover. 

She mimicked the other workers, grabbing a crate and walking purposefully into the hold. Depositing it was easy, and slipping away into the darkened hold was simple. Now she just had to find the others, and hope everyone had made it. Anxiety struck at her again; what if Aeris had decided to abandon them all? What if she felt guilty and could no longer be around her, choosing instead to remain here? A new conflict raged in Tifa: should she return to the dock and look for her girlfriend in the city? Wait, no, they'd arranged to meet here on the boat. Getting back off ran the risk that the others were already on-board and she'd lose them. She would have to take a chance and if necessary make the return trip with the vessel. The worry made her feel queasy. She needed air.

The deck was cold and blustery, lashed periodically by spray from the crashing waves below. Junon loomed high above her, darker now as the sun sank. The cold air helped, and her stomach settled. She leaned over a railing looking down to the dock and the still hurrying workers.

"Tifa?"

She spun around. An infantryman had approached her. A rising panic spread through her until she noticed the immense sword he wore across his back.

"Cloud?" she gasped. If he had made it...

He pulled his helm up slightly, revealing a concerned face. "I've been trying to account for everyone, but you're the first one I've found."

"I'm sure they're on their way," she breathed though her heart was sinking. He nodded almost distractedly, and then his eyes seemed to lose focus, and something pulled his gaze toward their destination. 

He relaxed abruptly, turning back to her, muttering, "When did I stop wearing this uniform..." It was a strange comment, and Tifa was about to respond when a loud clang echoed through the dock, accompanied by shouted orders and confirmations; they were casting off. The engines surged and with a rumble the ship began moving. Cloud looked back at the city almost wonderingly.

"Maybe... they're hiding in the hold." She had to know, she had to hope. Cloud turned, nodding. 

"I hope so anyway."

She decided to take this chance, "You see if they turn up here, I'm going to look for them." Before he could respond she'd moved off and begun descending the stairs into the hold.

 

She glanced back up, waiting a moment to see if Yuffie or Cloud would come back down. The hold at least appeared deserted, and she chanced removing the helm from her disguise.

"Aeris!" she hissed, straining her ears for a response.

"She's hiding down the end." A voice drifted down from a stack of crates. She started and then relaxed as Red peered over the edge.

"Red! You made it!"

He might have smiled. It was still hard to tell with his form. "We all did," he replied. His head jerked to the right. "Barret's lurking over there, and Aeris is down there," he nodded to his left. "Cloud and Yuffie are up on the deck. The advantages of getting here first." Tifa smiled at him. "It is not my place to pry, but you should known Aeris looked upset," he continued.

Her smile faded and she was silent a moment, "I know. It's... sort of my fault. Sort of." She looked up at Red slightly embarrassed at the admission. "We kind of had a fight."

Red made no comment and merely nodded sagely. Had they been so obvious that everyone had already reached the correct conclusion? For now it did not matter. She had to find Aeris first. The quadruped caught her eye and... winked? With only one eye it was hard to tell... He closed his eye and then settled onto the crate.

"Communication, I hear, is the key to successful relationships."

"What?" Tifa could not quite believe that Red was offering her relationship advice.

"Just make sure that you talk to each other, listen to each other and take the time to understand one another. In everything I have read on this subject, this detail seems key."

"You certainly know a lot about human relationships."

He might have chuckled at that, a strange quiet bark in his throat. "I am a fast reader."

"Thank you, Red," she smiled at him.

"Nanaki."

"What?"

He sighed, flicking his eye open. "My name is Nanaki. I think we can dispense with the code name that man gave me."

She smiled again. "Thank you, Na- Nanaki."

There was that maybe smile again as he re-closed his eye. She moved off in the direction Nanaki had indicated and hissed again;

"Aeris!" This time she heard a sniffle in response. "Aeris," she spoke again, softer this time.

"Tifa," came the croaked reply.

The flower girl had found a secluded spot in the hold, hemmed in on three sides by crates, and almost blocked on the fourth by a support pillar. She was still wearing the infantry uniform, arms hugging her legs, helmet now discarded and her cheeks stained with tears.

"Oh, Aeris," she breathed as she squeezed into the cavity. She dropped her helmet to the floor and sat down beside the Cetra. Her girlfriend did not look up.

"Tifa... I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologise for."

"But... I tried to..." she trailed off.

"You stopped when I asked, didn't you?," Tifa's hand clasped Aeris' now. The other girl nodded mutely. "No crime there," the martial-artist responded.

"But... I tried to rush you..."

The raven-haired girl sighed. "You did. You made me feel a little uncomfortable. But you stopped. That's the most important thing," she reached out a hand to her shoulder. "And it looks like you've been beating yourself up ever since."

"I was worried you wouldn't like me any more."

"So was I," Tifa admitted.

Aeris looked shocked, finally turning to look into her eyes. "I couldn't not like you..."

She smiled back, "Me neither." She blushed slightly at the thought of her next admission. "I do... want to... make love. And I want to make love with you." The Cetra's emerald eyes looked into hers wonderingly, a hint of a smile turning her lips up. "I just need a little more time. This is the first time I've been in love." Her girlfriend's eyes widened and Tifa pushed her advantage before she could speak, "I love you Aeris."

"I love you too!" The flower girl was smiling back at her. They leaned together, lips touching. The Cetra was chaste and restrained; Tifa appreciated the gesture, but hungered for the deeper kissing Aeris had demonstrated before. She broke the kiss for a moment to whisper "You don't have to hold back that much," and then slipped her tongue into her lover's mouth.

 

They lay together sometime later, Tifa cradling Aeris in her arms, feeling the rocking of the boat and the pulse of the engines. The flower girl remembered something and groped in a pocket of the uniform. She held up a tiny flower, folded from a sheet of paper. From the looks of things it had been advertising Rufus' dramatic parade. "For you."

The martial artist smiled at her gift. "Thank you. I do love your flowers..."

"I'm still sorry."

"Tut!" admonished Tifa. "I told you not to worry!"

"Oh no," the Cetra replied with a giggle. "I'm sorry that I tried to seduce you in that horrible locker room for your first time." Tifa found herself smiling. "When we make love, it'll have to be on a proper bed and with no interruptions."

Her partner blushed slightly, but still smiled. "Agreed," she said as she kissed Aeris' hair.


	8. A Moment in the Sun

Tifa watched, carefully huddled beneath a parasol, as Aeris lazed in the sea. It could scarcely be more different to the dark, choppy waters around Junon and out at sea as the cargo vessel had made its crossing. She shivered at the memory. The alarms suddenly sounding throughout the vessel, the panic that one of them had been caught and that their subterfuge had been for naught. Then they'd found the dead bodies, killed in a near identical fashion to those in the Shinra building.

She'd clutched Aeris' hand then, her girlfriend supporting her as her legs threatened to give out. Not him, not now, not yet. As certain as Cloud was, and no matter what Palmer had said, she never truly believed they could really be pursuing Sephiroth. Cloud had moved with suspicious single-mindedness towards the engine room; in a distracted voice he related that he and Yuffie had been noticed by Rufus on deck and instructed to investigate reports of a black-clothed stow-away in the engine room. The ninja had unsteadily descended the stairs with him, but was now clinging to a support beam. Nanaki dropped from a stack of crates and advised that she go back up on deck; she was in no position to assist with a potential fight.

She'd looked relieved and darted back up the stairway, while the others crept as silently as possible towards the engine room. Despite the hundreds of possible places for someone to hide, the blonde man was leading them on a direct path. Tifa glanced around, curious as to the other's reactions. Aeris caught the motion and gave a slight look of concern, one shared by Nanaki. How did Cloud...? Their concerns would have to wait as he pushed open the engine room door. His eyes widened in amazement.

Dead bodies scattered the room, and at the far end a man stood with his back to them. Fine silver hair cascaded over his shoulders and down his back. In his left hand was the hilt of the Masamune. A chill spread through Tifa's chest.

"Is that... Sephiroth?" whispered Aeris. Tifa could only nod, her gaze transfixed on the figure. Cloud drew his sword and stepped down into the room, the discarded cloth that had concealed it falling to the floor with barely a sound. Sephiroth turned. Fear found a new grip on her insides and then subsided slightly. Just for a moment she'd felt sure the man would close the distance impossibly fast, cut through Cloud, cut through her, cut through... her girlfriend. She squeezed the flower girl's hand again. 

Cold green eyes flicked to each of them standing there and then back to the ex-SOLDIER. "Who... are... you?" Sephiroth had spoken. But there was something wrong with his voice. The words were clear and distinct but seemed somehow alien. It was not the voice of the man who had killed her father. Cloud was unfazed. Of course; he'd probably never met the man. 

"You don't remember me?" he queried. "I'm Cloud." There was no comprehension on the general's face. 

His mouth opened again and he slurred, "Cloud," in the same tone. Tifa realised she was shivering. Her memories of Sephiroth had made her fearful of ever encountering the man again, but this was something out of a nightmare.

"It's not human," muttered Aeris.

Cloud was still approaching Sephiroth, his sword held ready, but not acting aggressively. His opponent's eyes suddenly lost focus and his head lolled. The skin on his neck cracked as he did so, the cracks continuing up onto the limp face and running down his neck, vanishing under his clothes. "Cloud! Get back!" shouted the Cetra. The figure's skin started changing hue, becoming darker, mottled and taking on a purple tinge. It was like... like... that thing they'd seen in Hojo's lab. Limbs started twitching and moving, wrongly, inhumanly. It was as if they no longer had bones, twitching and twisting in the wrong directions. The Masamune dropped from the figure's hand clattering to the deck.

The figure grew larger. Arms split forming a cluster of writhing tentacles and the legs fused into a singular trunk anchoring the creature to the deck. What was left of the head lurched around to glare at the party, it's mouth now filled with vicious yellowing fangs. A sudden swipe of a tentacle smacked Cloud backwards, sending him stumbling into a wall. Barret moved forward, opening fire at the creature as the former SOLDIER pushed himself from the wall and advanced towards the creature again. Tifa clung to the door frame; she could no longer think of the creature as Sephiroth. Aeris stepped forward, staff held in one hand. "We can't let it attack anyone else." A green orb glowed faintly in her other hand and with a crack an electric bolt jumped from one end of the staff to the creature. Cloud swung his heavy sword down onto a tentacle, severing it and filling the room with putrid stench.

She couldn't just watch. Tifa tugged on her gloves and took up position in front of Aeris, ready to deflect any strikes from the creature. Her girlfriend clutched another glowing sphere as she prepared another spell.

 

"Is it over?" asked Barret as the charred remains of the creature collapsed into ash. Small fires littered the room from the disparate limbs that had shockingly lived on after the core of the creature had been struck down. Sterilisation had been Barret's idea and between them they directed burst of fire magic onto the sickly organic remnants until they were charred black. 

"What was it?" asked Aeris. Her fingers were laced with Tifa's who was trying to control her shivering. 

"It looked familiar," she croaked. "Like that thing in the Shinra building"

"Jenova." Cloud said it almost distractedly.

"That thing's supposed to be dead! It had no head!" Barret blurted. No one else seemed willing to cast doubt on the creature's identity.

"What is it doing here?" breathed Tifa, still shivering. 

Aeris embraced her, whispering into her ear, "What's wrong?" The raven-haired girl's arms clutched at her.

"It was him, and not him. Something worse..." she trailed off.

"Come on," the flower girl said quietly, and then more loudly. "Guys? Tifa isn't feeling too good. I'm going to take her back on deck."

Nanaki expressed concern, hoping she would feel better as they climbed the stairs and passed from the now uncomfortably warm hold out into open air. Yuffie stumbled over to them as they emerged, gripping onto the rail as the boat lurched beneath them. Aeris guided Tifa to the rail overlooking the water and she hung desperately to it breathing hard.

"Is she... okay?" asked the ninja in between her own deep breaths.

"I hope so."

"What happened?"

"Sephiroth, or, no; Jenova"

Yuffie looked startled.

"I'll... I'll be okay," Tifa offered a weak smile. She still felt queasy and looked pale. "I'm sorry. It was... him. At least at first. Then it was that thing..."

Aeris draped herself gently over her hunched form, whispering into her ear, "You sound like you need cheering up". Yuffie rolled her eyes again and wandered away. The martial artist managed another weak smile. "I'd like that". 

The Cetra smiled. "As your physician, I'm sure I can come up with an effective treatment."

 

It was a frustrating wait before they were able to sneak off the boat; watching and waiting for workers unloading the cargo to lull sufficiently for them to leave unnoticed. Costa del Sol lay before them looking glorious; the sky was a magnificent azure, the sand golden and the heat enveloped them like a blanket. Tifa was sweating maddeningly in seconds. There was an abrupt splash as Nanaki hurled himself into the shallows alongside the pontoon that lead into the resort.

"Wish I could do that," muttered Yuffie. 

All thoughts of immediately striking out and leaving the town faded. Even Cloud seemed keen to relax a moment, and Aeris looked ecstatic as she stared around at the surroundings.

"Tifa! Let's go to the beach!" and with that the the brunette was racing towards the sand and the surf. The raven-haired girl glanced at the others. Yuffie made little shooing motions and Barret volunteered to see to the accommodation. She smiled in thanks and pursued the flower girl as she ran. Her girlfriend had shed the hardened boots from the infantry uniform and was now splashing ankle deep in the shallows. The martial artist was slightly more apprehensive as she approached the shoreline; visions of slimy creatures lurking just under the surface and bigger monstrosities waiting just off shore. But she was sweating, and the clear water looked inviting. She squinted, seeing only unspoiled sand around Aeris' feet. Maybe it would be okay...

She stripped her boots and socks off, rolling her trouser legs up as she made short hops over the hot sand, and then plunged her ankles gratefully into the cool water. She waded the short distance out to her partner and reached for her hand. They gazed out into the water, lulled by the quiet wash of the sea.

"Well... this is unexpected." 

They both froze, that horribly familiar voice coming from behind them. They turned to see a man sat beneath a beach umbrella, surrounded by stacks of files. The pony-tail and glasses confirmed his identity, and he regarded them both with interest.

"Hojo..." breathed Aeris.

"So pleased to see you all again." Something about his voice set Tifa's nerves on edge. "Was that my other specimen I saw splashing through the shallows?"

Neither of the girls said anything. Hojo sighed, closing the thick folder he'd been reading. "As little as I care for a specimen's personal opinion of me, I feel it my professional duty to inform you that my experiments have been halted indefinitely, and I tendered my resignation from the Shinra company. I am currently on vacation." He glanced around. "Although I fail to see the appeal of this environment..."

"You could try going somewhere else," said Tifa quietly, feeling a shudder ripple through the flower girl every-time he spoke. It would be difficult for any of them to relax if this man was hanging around; Aeris and Nanaki especially.

"You needn't worry." He flashed a smile that might have been intended to be friendly, but from him just seemed threatening. "I was about to leave anyway. A shame though..." He leered at them, "With more time, I would have been able to gather more experimental data." Tifa shivered.

He stepped forward, blinking rapidly into the brilliant sunlight. Looking towards the town something seemed to catch his eye and he paused. "That former SOLDIER travelling with you," he mused. "Cloud Strife... wasn't it?"

"What do you want with him?" asked the Cetra, finally compelled to speak.

"Where is he leading you? I assume he must have given you a reason or a destination when you all left Midgar... Or is he pursuing...? Ah." He trailed off. Neither girl said anything. Hojo abruptly smiled, "I see." He turned and with his folders under one arm wandered back towards the town. Tifa squeezed Aeris' hand.

"You okay?"

The flower girl nodded, "What about you though?"

"Still a bit out of it thanks to the ship."

"I think we both need to relax."

Tifa smiled. "I don't think we could have chosen a better place to do it."

Aeris nodded and then grinned. "Let's go in the ocean!"

The martial artist was slightly startled at the suggestion of more time in a large body of water. "I might just watch you from the beach - if that's okay."

The flower girl looked a little disappointed, but didn't appear to let anything stop her from getting in the water. "Oh... okay. But you still need a swimsuit. Just in case..."

"This wouldn't be some not so subtle attempt to see me in one would it?"

Her girlfriend tried to look innocent. "Nothing could be further from my mind." She lasted a second before she broke into a grin and the pair trailed back up the beach hand in hand. A damp Nanaki was lurking in the shadow of an awning, and a swim-suited Yuffie barrelled past them to crash into the water from a running jump.

 

Despite Aeris' desire to go into the sea, she wasn't swimming, or even venturing that far out, content to submerge herself as much as possible in the shallows. They'd bought swimsuits and changed into them before heading back to the beach; Tifa glad to be rid of the stifling uniform, but not as happy with the additional attention she was now attracting. She'd selected swimwear with as high a neckline as possible to hide her scar from view, and added a pink zip up cardigan to her current clothing. The sun's heat was getting to her so she elected to huddle under a parasol close to the water. Her girlfriend splashed around in the shallows unfazed and unconcerned by the heat or the attention her skimpier clothing attracted. She'd ventured out waist deep before dropping her shoulders under the water, her long hair now tied firmly up but still topped by that same pink ribbon.

Cloud had bypassed the beach entirely insisting on scouting the area around the town, while Barret, despite repeated recommendations to the contrary had decided to try and snoop on the Shinra staff in the private villas further outside of the town. Nanaki seemed to be coping the worst with the heat and like Tifa was still keeping as far out of the sun as he could, while Yuffie had seemingly given up on swimming and was lounging face-down on a towel.

"Sure you don't want to join me?" Aeris had rolled over in the shallows and was looking up at her. She looked perfectly at ease, and the martial artist wished she could be that relaxed. "It's gorgeous in here."

She smiled back. "It does look good. I just have this... irrational phobia about large bodies of water."

"I wasn't going to go any further out if you're worried about being out of your depth."

Tifa shook her head, "It's not that. I'm a pretty good swimmer."

"You can swim?" the Cetra looked impressed. "I never learned how."

"But you love the water."

"I do," the flower girl smiled. "But swimming in water in Midgar never seemed the best plan. I always wanted to learn though."

She argued with herself a moment. "I might be persuaded to try and teach you. Might."

"That'd be wonderful."

"First though, you have to convince me there's nothing small and slimy anywhere near you, and nothing is likely to approach."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" the girl in the shallows enquired.

The girl on the beach nodded, feeling silly.

"Oh, Tifa..." Aeris mused for a moment. "Would you feel better if I could guarantee that nothing would bother you?"

She smiled, "If only..."

"If some nasty of the deep attacks, not only will I personally fight it off for you, I'll take you on a date wherever you want."

The martial artist giggled at this. "You already owe me one date!"

"Ah, but that's if we return to Midgar. You can cash the other one in whenever you want."

The clear, blue tinted water did look inviting, and even being out of the sun, she still felt far too warm. She made a show of being persuaded. "Okay." She took a deep breath, discarding the cardigan and walked quickly down the beach into the shallows. With each step she feared coming into contact with something unpleasant, but only felt soft sand underfoot. She crouched hurriedly into the water when she reached Aeris. 

"Thank you," the Cetra smiled at her and took one of Tifa's hands in her own. The water felt wonderful after the heat, and she was glad she'd been coaxed in. Through the clear water, she could see the beach extending out a surprising distance; nothing but golden sand in sight. She found her girlfriend watching her. "Glad you came in?"

She smiled back at her. "Very. Shall we try to get you swimming?"

"Yes please!"

Slowly, and as best she could, she taught the last of the Ancients to swim until twilight.


	9. A Moment in the Valley of the Fallen Star

Tifa stared into the crackling flames of the Cosmo Candle, sat with her companions beside the immense bonfire. Well, almost all her companions; Aeris had still not returned from her meeting with Nanaki's adoptive grandfather. Like Costa del Sol there were no Mako reactors in the valley, and after talking to the residents it became very clear they practised a more pacifist version of Avalanche's beliefs, Barret in turn revealing the movement had originated from the settlement. When night fell the sky had been lit up by the star-light; she'd never seen anything like it, even on their journey here away from the places the Mako reactors drank hungrily at the ground. A resident had smiled at her amazement and commented the stars were so clear here because they were so far from artificial light sources. She'd half-expected to see a blaze of light from the direction of the Gold Saucer.

That... had not been the most pleasant place they had visited on their journey. They'd headed West at Nanaki's request, towards his hometown, and if the strange hint Cloud had received from Hojo was correct, the direction in which Sephiroth had last been sighted. She'd questioned at the time the sense in trusting a lead given by the former Shinra employee, but their leader had taken hold of the idea and was determined to follow it up. The trails lead them through the ruined remnants of North Corel, once the home of Barret and Marlene, now little more then a refugee camp for those that refused to move on. Their Mako reactor had exploded years previously causing a fire that consumed most of the former mining town. Rather then helping the stricken populace, Scarlet from the Shinra company had lead an armed suppression of the survivors. Barret had lost his hand in the incident and was now regarded as a traitor to his friends; he was the one who had pushed so hard for the reactor installation.

There had been no plan to visit the amusement complex that towered nearby, as much as Tifa could see Aeris was fascinated with the structure. Mutterings of Sephiroth, or at least a silver-haired man taking the cable-car some days previously were impossible for Cloud to ignore. It unnerved Tifa as they queued and boarded the transit; people lived in poverty just meters away from this grandiose entrance to the Gold Saucer. What must the people think watching everyone walk straight past their meagre dwellings to waste money on an amusement park?

There they had met... him? It? She glanced at the small robotic black cat, lazing on the head of a large white, mechanical moogle. Cait Sith. She still wasn't sure what to make of the construct; it varied between seeming sentience and a crude semblance of programmed responses, that sentience seemed oddly high for an attraction in a theme park.

 

The moogle bounded towards them as they exited the transit tube. "How about it?" the cat riding it chirped excitedly. "The name's Cait Sith. Want me to read your fortune? Tell you what the future holds for you lovely ladies?"

Tifa looked at the construct suspiciously; she and Aeris had been exploring the complex, trying to decide what to try out. The flashing lights and miles of attractions seemed to overwhelm her girlfriend who wanted to do everything at once. Now they were faced with some curious theme park attraction. Was it sentient? It did seem to have factored in that they were holding hands...

"You can see the future?" she asked.

"I see all kinds of things," the cat announced proudly. "I can find missing people, missing things, anything!" She was impressed, the mechanisms that controlled it were taking into account the things she said; it wasn't just pausing in between some scripted sequence. Not believing that it could really help them, she decided to ask something complicated.

"How about the whereabouts of a man named Sephiroth?"

The cat didn't even pause; had it been remote operated she'd have expected the controller to protest at the absurd question; despite recent sightings, publicly the general was dead. Unless, as their only lead had hinted, he really had visited the Gold Saucer. She wanted to laugh at the idea; the thought of the silver-haired man trying to enjoy the bright lights, the noise and the roller-coasters. The man from her nightmares now rendered comical. She would have to try and hold onto that image, but as with any thought of Sephiroth the painful memories threatened to surface; the death and the fire. 

The moogle began awkwardly dancing, gears and servos sounding noisily as it moved. It halted abruptly and exuded a slip of paper from it's palm. The martial artist read what was printed across it.

"Um...?"

"What's it say?" Aeris asked peering over her shoulder. "'What you pursue will be yours, but you will lose something dear to you,'" she read aloud.

Tifa looked quizzically at the cat. "Nice try, but that's not really terribly useful."

Cait Sith looked confused. "I'm not sure if that's a good fortune or a bad one. First time I've seen one like that."

"Uh-huh. So every other time you can give precise directions?" chipped in Aeris with a smile.

"Y-yeah..." The cat did a passable impression of embarrassment. "Usually it works best if the person is within the Gold Saucer. More so if they're one of the mascots... Still, as a professional fortune teller, I need to know how things will turn out and if it is good or bad. So I'm going to come with you." It beamed at them both.

"Er, Cait, I don't know if that's such a good idea-" She was cut off by a warning siren sounding throughout the park.

 

In any case 'he'd' been swept along with them and shuffled off to the stifling prison in the desert below the park.

By chance Cloud had run into the entertainment complex's manager before the trouble started who recognised the Mako tinge to his eyes and then posed a decidedly odd question; did he know what Black Materia was? A man in black had asked for information related to it some days before... The term was unfamiliar, but Tifa had caught an odd frown on Aeris' face as she heard the words. Why did a different coloured materia sphere worried her so?

She leaned back from the fire and savoured the cool of the night air, remembering the uncomfortable blistering heat of the desert air. There Barret had encountered a past he thought lost; Dyne, Marlene's true father and once his best friend, reduced to the ruler of the desert penitentiary. The Avalanche leader had asked to deal with the confrontation himself, reluctant to discuss afterwards what had occurred. He was able to gain them passage out of the prison; providing Cloud won a chocobo race. She remembered the flower girl stood beside his mount whispering to it, smiling and stroking the bird's head. The race was won by an absurd margin and their freedom granted.

But even after they finally left the park behind them, aspects of their collective pasts kept intruding; the Turks and the SOLDIER named Zack. They had reached the small village of Gongaga, horribly reminiscent of Barret's history with North Corel. The Mako reactor here had also exploded, and its shattered remnants still smouldered a short distance outside the town. Unlike North Corel, there had been no suppression from Shinra here, and the village was still populated. With relief after skirting the desert that surrounded the Gold Saucer they entered the town; a welcome break from their continued nomadic existence. Nanaki had spotted the red rock that formed his home in the distance, but judged they were some days away yet. Comfortable bedding was hard to resist in the mean-time.

They had not encountered the Turks since the chance meeting in the mines near Junon, and she had never wanted to meet the odd group again. But here they were just outside the village, Reno smirking at them and promising payback for this injuries at the Sector Seven support pillar, but Elena stopped him, muttering something cryptic into his ear and the trio left, their behaviour at odds with the expected. It was not without trepidation that they continued into the village, Tifa worriedly expecting violent explosions to tear the place apart. But whatever the Turks had been doing it did not relate directly to them it seemed. She wondered idly if they too were tracking Sephiroth...

 

They had attracted attention in the village from the moment they arrived. It seemed everyone caught sight of Cloud's eyes and then urgently began whispering to a companion. It did not seem to be fearful or hateful, just curious. Tifa relaxed slightly. Shinra had never deemed it worthwhile to replace the destroyed Mako reactor just outside of the town or offer any aid to the damaged community, but at least had not attacked the survivors. The inhabitants had adjusted to life without electricity, not even trying to press the decades old but still functioning coal generators into use. Smoke from hearth fires drifted from each roof, and Aeris seemed delighted by the open fireplace in their rented dwelling.

They were gathered in Cloud's hut, planning out the route to Cosmo Canyon, when someone knocked on the door. An older couple stood there, gasping as they caught sight of the blonde's eyes.

"It's true," the man stared at him. "You are in SOLDIER aren't you?"

"I was. I am no longer employed by Shinra."

"Could you tell us if you know anything about our son?" the woman asked, not taking her eyes from Cloud's. "His name is Zack."

That chill rippled through her chest once again. Was she never going to escape this uncomfortable reminder of her past? She glanced to her girlfriend who regarded the couple curiously, her attention roving to Cloud. He appeared to be deep in thought, and the man broke in again. "We haven't heard from him in over five years, not since he made it to SOLDIER Third class..."

The former SOLDIER shook his head slowly. "Sorry. I never met anyone of that name..." Aeris' eyes narrowed at the comment, and Tifa suspected she could guess at her train of thought; Zack had been a First Class SOLDIER, same as Sephiroth. There were painfully few who reached the rank, and for Cloud who had claimed to also have attained it to not have known Zack was implausible. A little later, once alone, she would voice the odd coincidence of timing and how odd Cloud's ignorance of her acquaintance was. Tifa had not felt able to answer, and her partner had not pressed the issue.

The couple looked crestfallen, but thanked him for talking with them, wistfully hoping that their son had settled down somewhere with the girl he was always mentioning in his letters, though he'd never mentioned her by name. Tifa wanted desperately to say something; she could see Aeris did too. She wanted to tell them he had been on this continent five years ago and that he had still been alive when she lost consciousness in the reactor. Their ray of hope that they might finally learn where he was, whether he still lived, was extinguished. She'd excused herself from the group shortly after that to hole up alone in her room, more grateful then ever when Aeris sought her out and simply held her.

 

She shivered despite drawing closer to the flames. The route they were taking would soon take them through Nibelheim; the start and end of her nightmares. She didn't want to see what was left of home; the ash, the rain-swollen timber... and who knew what else would lie between the remnants of buildings. Was the town's fate well known? While only a small town, for anyone traversing on foot it was the last way-point before the wilds of Mount Nibel and the plains beyond. Someone should have noticed something. She'd tried asking if anyone had been over to the town, trying to pry into its state without opening herself up to the pain. Talk of fire confused the few who had travelled to the mountain range. There was still a town there they said and no talk of a fire in its past. Had a new town taken the land that was once Nibelheim? Well, not entirely new - it still bore the same name. Perhaps it would be less painful knowing that she would not encounter the skeleton of her home.

Tifa tried to put the thoughts out of her head, remembering the events of earlier; the holographic whirl of the planets of their solar system and the long-term effects of Mako drain on the Planet itself. Aeris listened with rapt attention as Bugenhagen had explained what Mako truly was; the Lifestream, the place where the souls of those who passed on merged and traversed the planet, and its necessity for the Planet's continued existence. Here in horrible detail he showed them what would one day happen if the Mako reactors were allowed to continue to feed on the Planet; the crumbling and splitting of the very surface of the world on which they lived.

Later that night they had accompanied Nanaki into the sealed off Gi caves, still haunted by the spirits of the invading force that had once threatened the settlement. It had lifted a weight from Nanaki's shoulders; the father he thought cowardly had heroically sacrificed himself even as he turned to stone to drive back the encroaching army. He was dozing by the fire, far happier staying with Avalanche for now then in his own chambers, quite content to lie there while Yuffie scratched absently behind his ears.

The quietness of Yuffie surprised Tifa. She'd been full of bluster and complaints at the lack of materia in the colony at first, but had settled rapidly by the fire, quiet and reserved. Maybe the atmosphere had gotten to her? It certainly seemed to have relaxed Cloud... whom Tifa was increasingly sure of a worrying correlation of behaviour. There was no Mako reactor nearby, as so he was calm. With a shudder she wondered how he would react when they finally reached their old home.

 

Tifa glanced behind her at the sound of approaching footsteps and was rewarded with the sight of her girlfriend strolling towards her arms clasped behind her, deep in thought. The martial artist smiled, calling out and waving to the approaching girl, who smiled warmly back. Aeris crouched down and curled up beside her, sliding a new red flower behind the other girl's ear.

"Hi," the flower girl said, darting to Tifa's lips and earning a smile in response as her fingers brushed the new petals. She smiled as they looked into the flames.

"How'd it go?" asked the raven-haired girl at last.

"I learned a lot." There was a distracted tone in her voice.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Sorry! It was a lot to take in..." She trailed off again.

Tifa squeezed her gently. "That's okay. Want to talk about it?"

"Sure it won't bore you?"

The martial artist laughed, earning herself raised eyebrows from Yuffie. "Nothing about you could bore me."

Aeris smiled, "I can tell you some of it. Some of it just seems so strange. And some of it's missing or just ambiguous." She was silent a moment as she gathered her thoughts.

"So... what did the Cetra do?"

The Cetra looked up, "They cared for the planet."

Tifa couldn't help but grin, "We really did recruit the right person into Avalanche." 

Her girlfriend grinned back, "In my own little way back in Midgar..." She shook her head, "I don't know if they worked the same way..."

"It's an adorable thought though. All those Cetra tending the flowers, planting seeds..."

The brunette fidgeted closer and put her arms around Tifa, drawing her against her. "I like that idea," she sighed. "Doesn't change what happened though."

"What did happen?"

"The only reports Bugenhagen had were so confused and contradictory. Something about the faces of the ones they lost returning to haunt them. And the one who brought the calamity from the sky."

It was vague and mere words, but something about the phrase chilled Tifa. She shivered. Aeris caught the motion concerned. "Don't worry. It's all ancient history."

"I know." They lapsed into silence staring into the fire.

 

She awoke with a start. The fire still roared close by; they'd been informed that the fire must never be extinguished lest the canyon fall. Her companions seemed to have called it a night however. Tifa sat up concerned, relief flooding through her as she spotted the flower girl a short distance away standing on a rocky outcrop. She was looking down into the darkened canyons below. The martial artist crossed over to her, slipping her arms around her girlfriend's waist. Aeris didn't turn or speak, but sighed softly and lent backward into her embrace.

"What's wrong?" Tifa murmured into her ear.

The Cetra paused before replying. "Do you remember before when Bugenhagen told us he could hear the planet..." she swallowed, "Screaming?"

Tifa nodded in response, recalling that eerie sound they'd heard in the observatory. Her partner continued. "When I was with him before he taught me more about the planet. I feel I can understand it better now. And it made me think. This journey... I need to find out how to heal the planet. And if Shinra is the cause of the pain, then we need to stop them."

The martial artist smiled. "Spoken like a true member of Avalanche."

They stood, huddled together for a moment. "But now... now I'm... the last Cetra"

"Aeris?" Tifa reached out to stroke her cheek. She smiled back weakly.

"I'll... I'll be okay. I know I said that before, but I always kind of hoped..."

"You don't believe Sephiroth is a Cetra too then?"

Aeris shook her head, "No. I now know he isn't. Neither was Jenova. The Planet is fearful of them both." She fell silent, and Tifa kept her arms around her girlfriend, trying to offer all the comfort she could. "I'm so glad I met all of you... The planet's quiet now... Seems like a good time to sleep before we head out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow..." she echoed hollowly. And that day would bring her one step closer to Nibelheim.

The Cetra twisted round, "Tifa? What- Oh." She'd realised. She drew the other girl into a tight embrace. "Whatever happens, remember I'll be there with you. Just like you were tonight."

"Thank you."

"And..." She continued, "As your physician-," Tifa smiled. "-I think you need to sleep beside me all night."

"No complaints there, doctor."


	10. A Moment the Town that was Not Her Town

There was a man living in the house that was not her house. A strange man who was not her father. A strange man who denied all her memories of the fire, the moments that were etched indelibly on her memory. The house on fire... no, the whole town a raging inferno and that silver-haired man standing in a sea of flame. The silver-haired man who used the terrible long blade to rob the people of their lives. He had robbed her father her of his life and then nearly taken hers. She could not forget her father shouting in panic and fury as he raced after the silver-haired man along the mountain path. Nor could she forget what occurred at his destination after she had climbed and scrambled along the paths that lead ultimately to the Mako reactor of Mount Nibel.

The man who was not her father lived in a house that was not her house. Her house was gone, consumed by flames and time. Her house was gone and turned to ash. But the house that was not her house stood before her, an exact replica of the house of her childhood. The man who was not her father looked at her blankly when she knocked on the door, and then fearfully when she related her name. The man who was not her father did not want to let them into the house. The man who was not her father relented when he saw the expression on her face. 

The house that was not her house resembled the house of her childhood precisely. She had stood, gazing in amazement around the room that was not her bedroom, astonished and horrified by the detail. The man who was not her father had told her that he lived there alone and without family. The man who was not her father had not married, nor was he the parent of any children. Why then was this the the bedroom of a sixteen year old girl she asked? But the man who was not her father was no longer there. The man who was not her father had bolted from the house, from the town and neither she nor her companions would never see him again.

The house that was not her house held other inhabitants; fearful jittery figures in black cowls who muttered and slurred if they tried to talk to them. Their hands were all they allowed to be uncovered, each marked with a simple black numeric tattoo. The figures were fearful of light, always shivering in the darkest corners and shying away from human contact. Amongst the speech that they could understand were frequent mentions of the man that razed her town, and 'reunion'. Both were spoken as if sacred words in some forbidden ritual. 

The house that was not her house was in the town that was not her town. Something else stood where she had expected ash and old water-logged timbers. The town that was not her town was a perfect replica of her past but for one detail. Not one of residents of the replica houses was familiar to her, not one remembered being a neighbour to her. Not one shopkeeper was familiar to her or remembered the blossoming beauty of Tifa Lockhart, Tifa Lockhart the local guide and explorer, or Tifa Lockhart, student of the famed martial artist Zangan. This replica town was physically perfect in every exquisite detail. Even the water tower in the centre bore the same hastily scratched graffiti she remembered. The graffiti she had scratched into the wood one bored night when her friends had left her town, and he had gone to join SOLDIER. To most eyes the graffiti was indistinguishable from the marks she herself had made, but she knew that it had not been her hand that had carved it. This town was not her town, no matter how similar it looked.

The town that was not her town was also the town that was not his town. And in the town that was not his town or her town was the house that was not his house. There was a woman living in the house that was not his house. A strange woman who was not his mother. A strange woman who had never married and never borne children. A strange woman who demanded he leave as he tried to ask of his mother, the fire, and him. Anger and fear mixed on the woman's face as his questions and pleading poured out.

She wondered at this. The woman who was not his mother was not the blonde independent neighbour of her memories. She was not the mother of the boy Cloud Strife she had known of but never really interacted with in the past. She had been suspicious as the town came into view, his reaction of surprise less abrupt then her own, as if deep down he had known that he would see the town that was not her town or his town once they reached this place. But for all the confused, contradictory memories, his immediate impulse had been the innocent hope that he could find his mother here, in the town that looked like the town of his childhood. And like her he met a stranger who was not his parent, in the house that was not his house.

She had clasped the hand she'd held and felt it squeezed back in comfort, and then abruptly felt a pang of sorrow for the man who might not be the boy she once knew. He had no lover to comfort him as she did. He was fearful as they stood in the town they claimed had been consumed by fire, insistent that he was truthful, and she could not disagree with his words. She too remembered all too vividly the town wreathed with flames. She had never seen the full extent of the damage, but nothing she had seen before following her father to his death gave her even the slightest hope that the town of her childhood could be saved from its destruction. The moment passed as the man who might not be the boy she knew forgot of the woman who was not his mother, the house that was not his house and the town that was not his town.

In the town that was not her town stood the building that looked out of place. The building they knew only as the Shinra mansion stood as she remembered it. No, not quite as she remembered it; it was older now, more decayed and decrepit as the walls and roof slowly succumbed to the inexorable passage of time. It was out of place in the town that was not her town. It had always been older, but now it was older still. She peered into her memories, probing a hurt she had tried to avoid, desperately remembering back to those moments five years previous. If her memory was correct, not one flame had touched the building. It was to this building he looked. The decaying mass of the Shinra mansion now held his unwavering attention.

She could now see more black-cowled figures, shivering and awkwardly pacing in small pools of shadows thrown by the mountains and the buildings. These figures' attention was fixated on the older building that stood before them, every curtain in every window drawn, the garden a rampaging mass of undergrowth and the roof damaged from neglect. He had heard the awkward voices of these faithful. His quarry was inside, waiting. He would go to him, all his nervous energy pushing him forward, not to the horizon now, but to this building in the town that was not his town.

She squeezed the hand of the one she loved once more as she watched the man who might not be the boy she knew lead the rest of their companions into the dark, decrepit building. The one she loved did likewise in return, and they waited, a little away from the town that was not her town, at the gates where reality had seemingly inverted, as far as she could from the mountain trail that lead inexorably to the place where her father had died and where she had almost met her end.

They waited, the flower girl's arms around the martial artist, cradling her, simply helping her endure this time in the town that was not her town.


	11. A Moment Off the Clock

Tifa still could not quite believe that Avalanche and the Turks could be sat peacefully side by side. No threats or violence, instead laughter, camaraderie and drink. She blanched slightly. To celebrate someone's death like this, even the obscene Don Corneo, did not sit quite right with her. But; he'd chortled at the impending destruction of Sector Seven. He'd strung Yuffie and Elena up on the Da Chao statue for his disgusting selection process. As a result he was now gone, the remnants of his broken body cleaned from the rocks below the gigantic statues. His murderer, the same man who set the explosives to drop the Sector Seven plate, was drinking right in front of her. But... Reno had helped them get Yuffie back, and they in turn had assisted with the rescue of Elena. The Turk was busy regaling Vincent with some anecdote about Tseng, to which his face showed the barest hint of a smile.

Vincent. Tifa had not been able to suppress the gasp and chill she felt as she had met the unnaturally pale figure in Nibelheim. He shunned the sunlight wherever possible, his eyes always drawn to the shadows. He seldom spoke and his mere presence unnerved her slightly. In all honesty he seemed to unnerve everyone, except for Aeris for some reason. The martial artist glanced beside her and tightened her arm around the girl's waist slightly. The flower girl was listening intently to a story of Elena's, Yuffie interrupting with questions and observations on a semi-regular basis. The brunette sipped at the chocolatey liquor she'd ordered and turned to flash a smile at Tifa. 

Aeris was calm, relaxed and happy. This had to be okay... didn't it? Politics had been swept aside for the time being; the Turks insisting that their allegiance to Shinra began and ended with their pay-checks. They were on vacation and thus their concern of what Avalanche was doing was non-existent. Tifa would normally have snorted at their mercenary attitude, before remembering Cloud had been operating under a similar mind-set; it had been her idea to hire him to assist with the reactor assault. She glanced at Barret, amazed he was taking things so well, that he was not more aggressive or more irritated by the socialising.

The Turks and Avalanche were more acquaintances then outright enemies by this stage, the shady group always seemingly able to hang around on the peripheries of their travels. They could, she admitted, be tracking them, but they always seemed to reach their destinations first. A spy in their midst? She shook her head. It would do her no good to start being suspicious of her friends. But still, to let slide the deaths of the older members of Avalanche so easily? Why had they let them, why could she sit with them, why could Barret? Did he... understand them somehow? Was it the slow realisation that while there was blood on Shinra's hands, Avalanche were by no means innocent. 

The destruction of both Mako reactors had resulted in unintended casualties; there had been innocents wiped out as part of their cause. As much as Barret had once protested that the casualties reported in the news were inflated, it was impossible to ignore the fact that they had killed people. Not just guards or Mako reactor technicians but innocent bystanders, both in the slums and on the upper plates, had been caught in the blasts. Jessie had guiltily admitted that her calculations had been incorrect after the first explosion, but had no time to make the adjustments before the second assault. Were they in the end no better? Unlike the Don, not once had the Turks expressed anything like gloating for the aftermath of their actions. 

It would still be hard to forgive them or at the very least Reno for triggering the countdown, but for tonight maybe they could just about forget. Tifa sipped at her drink, the same as Aeris'. For all her experience running the Seventh Heaven, she had never acquired the fondness for alcohol most of her companions here seemed to have developed. She had however taken a liking to the sugary concoctions that her girlfriend favoured.

Reno had chuckled when he saw they were together, his salacious grin implied a knowing assessment of their situation. But he said nothing of it and simply began relating some recent event with Tseng after Aeris inquired after his whereabouts. Did the flower girl forgive everyone? It seemed so; for all of his outright aggression in her kidnapping, she seemed oddly concerned about his well-being, the face of Shinra glimpsed throughout her childhood always inviting her back into the company's clutches but never once by force. 

She wondered at times exactly how many members the Turks actually boasted. Elena was a recent recruit, but aside from her addition she'd always seen the same few members. Was it just this small group? Were they assigned to keep an eye on them or to track Sephiroth across the Planet? The answer to that question depended on which Turk you asked and when. Maybe it was just a con, the Turks weren't on holiday in Wutai by sheer chance and the sting in the tail was coming. Maybe they were lulling them into a false sense of security and then they would take Aeris away from her... Stop! She hated the anxiety that had spread throughout her. She decided to try and put it out of her mind; everyone else seemed to be having a good time. It would be good to take advantage of this while it lasted.

The whiff of tobacco alerted her that their most recent companion, the pilot Cid Highwind, had returned to the table clutching another mug of beer. He had little love for Shinra after the failure and cancellation of his space programme. Shinra had, he griped, taken so much from him; the chance of space, his airship and almost, had Avalanche not interfered, the Tiny Bronco.

The discomfort Tifa had felt in that strange time-locked facsimile of her home town dissipated once they left the creepy, twisted, yet so familiar paths of Mount Nibel. She felt better as they crossed the rolling plains on the other side of the mountain, even as they still pursued the shadow of Sephiroth. She was glad that she had not descended to the mansion basement with her companions and encountered the silver-haired man again. 

In the grasslands they reached the bluntly named 'Rocket Town'. They'd merely been looking for somewhere to stay and had not realised that the town was little more then a collection of dwellings clustered around the rusted rocket at the centre. Or at least that was how it had begun; over time the shelters had altered to something approximating real houses. Cid's seemed the most like an actual home with its neat garden, carefully fenced off from the neighbours. The pilot looked to be the last person who would concern himself with gardening, Aeris had ventured the opinion that it must be the timid assistant Shera with the green fingers.

The martial artist had been appalled at the behaviour of the pilot until Aeris drew her attention to the unconscious and unspoken actions of Cid Highwind. As often as he would bluster and curse at Shera, there was a hard line he never crossed with her. She was still there, not so much atoning for voiding his attempt to escape gravity and get into space, but more a thank you for everything he had sacrificed for her. If nothing else Avalanche owed him a debt of gratitude for the use of the Tiny Bronco as they escaped both the town and Rufus Shinra, even if flight was now beyond the small craft and it could do little more then flounder in the water.

 

The drifting currents had eventually delivered them to Wutai, much to Yuffie's delight. So great was this delight that after a hurried goodbye they found themselves without a single piece of materia, or gil between them. It became unclear as they chased her just how much of the elaborate chase the ninja put them through was planned and how much was improvised. To be prepared for their assorted skill-sets like this implied some highly specific arrangements which seemed unlikely, but to execute this on the fly implied a stunningly quick and inventive mind.

They chased and the young ninja led them on, laughing and dancing ahead as they fell foul of a trap, or some other ninja trickery. They learned that she admired them, admired Avalanche who would actively try to rebel against the Shinra, and bomb the reactors; Yuffie loved the stories of the reactor assaults, forever pestering Barret and Cloud for details. She'd always meant what she'd said; she wanted Wutai returned to greatness. She'd just left out the part about needing their materia to accomplish that.

Everything ran to a plan of Yuffie's own devising. Until she ran afoul of Corneo; a vestige of the Midgaran's past they would have much preferred to leave there. Was it just the retrieval of their materia that made them rush to rescue her, or did they want her to return to their party, their... family? Neither reaction would have truly surprised Tifa. 

When the chase was over the fact that the ninja wanted to continue on with them was of little surprise and quite welcome, despite half-hearted grumbling from a few people. She had the chance to leave with all of her materia, and yet stuck with them. Barret rumbled something about how she'd only do that until she could lift all the spheres from them once more, but he did not protest her presence further. It reminded the martial artist so much of Nanaki and how he'd intended to stay at Cosmo Canyon, only taking a slight nudge from his Grandfather to persuade him otherwise.

 

The Evening wore on and the merriment continued. Yuffie bowed out fairly early on; both Cid and Barret carefully checking their belongings after she'd left. Her bragging about her alcohol tolerance had not worked well when drinking with the Turks. The Avalanche leader likewise didn't stay for more then a few glasses, muttering something about a promise to Marlene. Vincent vanished after Reno's anecdote was done as they'd seen him do while they crossed the mountains and grasslands. He seemed uncomfortable with socialising and would be back with the dawn. 

Cid was nursing yet another beer, talking distractedly about the Shinra 26, Rocket Town and Shera to Rude who said little, but nodded along to the conversation. The Turk seemed to save his voice and movement for when they were needed. Reno and Elena were by then huddled together enjoying some bottle he'd lifted from behind the bar, reliving some anecdote about Junon and the parade in Rufus' honour that left them in fits of giggles. Cloud was trying desperately to stay awake, taking the odd distracted sip from the colourless liquid in his glass.

Tifa hadn't tried to keep up with Aeris as she drank, content to sample, share and occasionally order her own glass of the same delightful concoctions. She'd sipped from Aeris' glass whenever she tried something new, the flower girl deliberately turning the glass so their lips touched the same area. She'd smiled at the gesture. The Cetra had been drinking for a while and looked flushed; her cheeks were reddened and she fanned herself with a menu, tugging at the neckline of her dress to help cool off. Reno raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing.

Everything began to feel a little distant, a little fuzzy to Tifa. She made sure Aeris was still there, squeezing her waist very slightly to make sure she was not imagining the contact. Then suddenly they were kissing again. The brunette had never shied away from expressing herself so openly amongst their friends, and certainly not since Costa del Sol. The martial artist on the other hand was always been slightly nervous about public affection.

But those concerns were washed away by the tide of alcohol in her veins and she did not feel like caring now. She kissed back unconcerned, nothing chaste about this embrace. Aeris's hands were on her back, and there was a way she ran her fingers along Tifa's spine that made her squirm and shiver with delight. She tried to mirror this movement on her lover, enjoying the effect on Aeris slightly disappointed that it was more muted then her own reaction. Of course... maybe she preferred being touched in other places... and in other ways. That was perhaps one thought too many and she flushed at the thought.

"Air," she gasped, "Too hot in here." She stood slightly unsteadily and moved for the door.

"Are you okay?" asked Aeris following. Tifa nodded and exited the bar, feeling the delicious cool air of the night. Her girlfriend was two steps behind her and did not look back or react to a rowdy cheer from the Reno as they walked out. The raven-haired girl rested on a nearby railing and looked out at the city, a gently comforting hand on her back, far different from the motions the flower girl had been making moments before. The raven-haired girl breathed deeply in the cool air, the heat of her skin fading. She glanced at the concerned girl beside her and smiled. The flower girl reached out and embraced her just as the martial artist started to shiver.

"Too cold out here?" Her question was directed into Tifa's neck, the Cetra seemingly reluctant to let go. She squeezed her and replied.

"A little."

"Want to go to bed?" The question awoke a new sensation within her. It sounded... appealing. And if Aeris would touch her as she had in Junon... she doubted she would stop her this time. The fuzziness faded a little as she realised what she was contemplating. "Aeris..." she breathed.

"Don't worry. I'm not about to take advantage of either yours or my drunken state." There was a touch of disappointment in her voice, but Tifa found herself almost relieved. Aeris stepped back slightly, her arms still around the raven-haired girl regarding her. "As nice as it would be at the moment, I don't think it's fair on you."

They wandered towards the inn staggering slightly, and Tifa found herself sobering as they walked, but with it came a tide of exhaustion. It had been a busy day, a busy week, just... busy and it had caught up. A slight twinge of disappointment stung again when they reached their room; Yuffie was absent. Of course, she was spending the night at home. They had their privacy once more.

Aeris looked as exhausted as Tifa felt, and just seemed to get lazy once they were inside the room. She began stripping off her clothes, kissing her partner as each item was removed until she was naked. Their lips met again for a passionate kiss before the flower girl pulled away smiling at her. She made no move to cover herself or showed the faintest trace of embarrassment at her nudity. She retreated slowly to her own bed, snuggling and burrowing under the covers, dead to the world in moments. There was little for her partner to do but to undress herself, taking a moment to move her bed next to Aeris'. She placed a kiss on her lover's forehead, earning herself a little murmur of appreciation and then she sank gratefully into sleep.


	12. A Moment of Intimacy

Aeris' second glance at her and away from the visual splendour of the Gold Saucer confirmed that her girlfriend had realised she was flustered. Tifa insisted once more that she was fine, squeezing the flower girl's hand and smiling at her. Not entirely convinced the Cetra lay her head back down on the martial artist's shoulder and stared back out into the darkening sky. She wondered if the brunette could hear her heart racing a mile a minute in her chest, her nerves wound tight at the thought of what she wanted to say and do. Mentally she berated herself again. As long as she'd known her, her partner had been supportive, patient and understanding with her, with that sole that exception Aeris still seemed to feel guilty for.

Their clinches had been getting steadily more passionate, and now she wanted more. She wanted to touch the naked body that Aeris had shown her so provocatively that drunken night in Wutai. She felt ready, debating whether it would be better to talk to her girlfriend about her new found desires or to simply go further than before once they got a moment alone. The advice from Nanaki echoed in her head; communication was key and she was frustratingly aware that this visit to the Gold Saucer might only be fleeting. She just wished she didn't feel so embarrassed about what she wanted to say. There was no one here to overhear her ask her partner to make love to her. Another moment and then she would say it...

 

They had been able to give Cid sufficient time while in Wutai to restore the Tiny Bronco to a semblance of working order. The pilot was still frustrated; without some more specific and vastly harder to source parts the plane was not capable of getting airborne. They could at least continue on with their objective; Cloud and Tifa once again took an uncomfortable centre-stage as they related the details of their pursuit of the silver-haired man, Cid had digested the information, and fortunately resolved to assist them; he had been slowly wasting away in Rocket Town, spending all that time just waiting for Shinra to return and offer him a chance at space once more. His face broke into a grin as he informed them they would need his help; Rufus' visit to Rocket Town had been to take the Tiny Bronco to assist the pursuit of Sephiroth. The new President had said something to the effect that the former general was searching for the Temple of the Ancients.

The others were startled at the revelation, the Cetra quickly informing Cid of those further important details of her heritage and the correct name of the Ancients.

To everyone's surprise, Yuffie produced an old scroll. The ninja had been up early and dug through the Kisaragi family archives and records, unearthing a long forgotten document relating to the Cetra. Contained on the cracked and ageing paper was an out-dated and partial map of the Planet, the coastlines still reconcilable with modern mapping. There on a small island was a structure marked as 'Cetra'. The map was light on details; the explorers who had charted the island had not been comfortable staying there for long, but they had at least made an attempt to access the structure. A fanciful diagram indicated a theorised method of entry based on hieroglyphics found on the front face of the structure.

The diagram showed a sphere, not dissimilar in size to a typical materia orb, with a raised pyramidal point on the base. The explorers had dubbed it simply the 'keystone'. Cait Sith stared at the image for a few moments before snapping his fingers. "I knew that looked familiar! I must have looked at it a hundred times and thought nothing of it. It's part of Dio's collection." There was a moment of confusion as the black cat looked at the circle of confused faces, before wearily adding, "Dio runs the the Gold Saucer. That 'keystone' is in one of his display cases."

 

Aeris had been thrilled that there was an opportunity to revisit the Gold Saucer, and spent much of the journey sitting on one wing of the Tiny Bronco with Tifa reminiscing about the areas she had seen and speculating on the other attractions. The wind billowed around them as the craft churned through the water, headed for the coast to the South of the theme park. The martial artist enjoyed watching her girlfriend's face as she talked about the park. She had been secretively planning to suggest another trip there, just the two of them, once their mission was finally over. She had never anticipated returning so soon.

She listened happily, but when Aeris touched her hand she felt her heartbeat speed up and that itch of desire awaken within her. It had been growing for a long time now, nurtured and spurred on by every kiss and every teasing touch the two had exchanged. She was all too aware of her own body's response and how she'd had to take matters into her own hands to quell the need she felt growing inside her. It felt good, it felt really good; images and sensations of their times together running through her head as she breathlessly and secretly climaxed. But something was missing. Something every kiss, every teasing touch suggested her girlfriend knew how to provide. She wanted to return that favour and touch every inch of her partner's wonderful body.

She wanted to make love. She wanted Aeris... and nearly went crimson at the thought of actually saying that to her. But she felt time was running out; after they left the Gold Saucer they would be heading directly for the Cetra temple. She would have little time to get the flower girl on her own and in comfort. She smiled remembering the flower girl's promise to her in the hold of the cargo vessel; she needed to find them a bed.

 

Her mind whirled with plans and ideas as they ascended to the Gold Saucer. She couldn't say anything here; as spacious as the cable-car was there was precious little hope that her embarrassed whispering to Aeris would pass without notice. She would have to wait until they arrived and hope that gaining the keystone wouldn't be completely straight-forward and then that she could get her away from the group and then be able to arrange a hotel room - ensuring they silence both of their phones to minimise interruptions... Frustration coursed through her. Too much conjecture, too much falling perfectly into place. What kind of plan was that? Was she doomed to failure before she even confessed her desires? Would she end up making do with cramped, furtive movements in a crowded camp or continue to delay the experience she now so badly sought? No. She had to do something.

"Come on."

She blinked and looked up to see Aeris excitedly tugging on her arm. "We're here!" Tifa tried to ignore the effect the slim fingers were having on her, suddenly realising that she had plotted and day-dreamed through the entire ride. Suddenly it was time for her to act. She allowed herself to be pulled along after the others as she tried to ignore the hammering in her chest and the rising excitement of what lay in store for her.

Cid was angrily stubbing out a cigarette at the behest of the gate attendant when they caught up with the others. Cloud was single-minded in his desire to push on with their objectives, immediately asking for Dio's whereabouts. Her heart sank. As soon as he gained the keystone he'd be hurrying them on; that nervous energy overriding everything else once more. She could only hope that the ex-SOLDIER was not going to gain the object that easily... and that Aeris would be content to let him procure it by himself. The attendant directed him towards one of the park's transport tubes which he immediately moved towards and then paused, blinking. He seemed to remember his companions abruptly and suggested they amuse themselves while he dealt with Dio.

Yuffie vanished in seconds and Cait Sith went oddly inert in the centre of the room. Vincent appeared to be scowling at the bright lights and jaunty music, eyes searching for a dark corner away from curious gazes. Aeris piped up and told him that the hotel was Gothically themed and perpetually shrouded in gloom. Tifa heard Cid muttering something about a perfect holiday destination for vampires as the former Turk stiffly informed them he would be waiting there. Nanaki, Barret and Cid decided that observing the chocobo race-track seemed the best option they had available, leaving her - joy of joys - with her partner alone. The flower girl squeezed the martial artist's hand, her eyes shining with excitement. She could not help but smile.

"Where do you want to go?" Tifa asked watching her lover's delighted face. She would let them go on one ride and then tell her. She just needed a few moments to settle herself and pluck up the courage to say it.

"Everywhere!"

 

A few hours later they sat together in one of the gondolas, staring down at the multi-levelled structure of the Gold Saucer. Chocobos charged along the racetrack on the lowest level, their tuneful whistles echoing up to them and just about audible above the haze of noise from the other levels of the complex. Aeris leaned into Tifa sighing wistfully, as she cursed herself silently. Just one ride had kept changing to just one more and time had worn on, the flower girl excitedly guiding her from one attraction to the next. The park was fun, and she had laughed with delight despite the constant nagging worry of time passing. Just this, just this time with her partner was wonderful. If it came to it would this not be enough for her? 

No. That itch awoke every-time Aeris took her hand now, and she felt like she would explode if she did not at least make her confession. She would say it in a moment, just after another moment of comfortable bliss lent against each other. But those moments just kept stretching out and she was unwilling to disrupt the quiet intimacy they were sharing. With a sinking heart Tifa felt the gondola jolt to a halt as it arrived back in the station. No...

The warbling ring of her phone made her jump. She looked at the screen and seeing it was Cloud calling, gave up. She'd had hours to say something and had squandered the opportunity. He'd be rounding them up to head out. She glanced at noticeably dark sky. Maybe he'd want to wait until tomorrow to set off? But then that would put them in a room with Yuffie. She sighed in frustration and answered the call.

"Hello Cloud." She tried to keep her tone bright despite the sinking disappointment that was settling into her stomach.

"Ah, Tifa? We've got a problem."

"Is Dio being difficult about the keystone?"

Cloud chuckled, "No, no, nothing like that. I got the keystone. He made me run his Battle Square simulator first though... No, it turns out we're trapped here tonight."

An unexpected ray of hope.

"Trapped?"

"Yeah, the cable car's broken and no one can get in or out of the place. Cait's sorted us some rooms at the hotel, and they reckon they'll have the transport fixed by tomorrow morning. We've got to stay here, so we might as well get a decent night's sleep. We'll head for the Temple tomorrow."

"Oh... okay," Tifa fought hard against the sudden overwhelming tide of excitement that now built within her. She had another chance! True, she might need to compensate for Yuffie, but she couldn't let this opportunity slide now.

"Just ask at the hotel when you're done. I think they've got details of some of the evening entertainment as well if you're interested. At least there are worse places we've been trapped."

She laughed, a little too loudly, at the joke. "That's true. Thanks for letting me know; I'll tell Aeris."

"Okay - see you two later."

With a click the call disconnected and Tifa stared at the phone, still scarcely able to believe that she had been effectively handed what she so dearly wanted.

 

She couldn't help it; she was still being coy. She'd related the details of the call to Aeris, who seemed thrilled at the chance for more time in the park - they had after all only tried a small number of the attractions and the park was so vast... Tifa suggested that they take their bags to the hotel before they resumed their exploration. She cursed herself for her phrasing, hoping that her girlfriend would not immediately want to head back out.

They'd crossed the park via the transport tubes into the fake perpetual night of the themed hotel when she finally forced herself to act. Tifa paused to let Aeris get slightly ahead of her and then flung her arms around her lover, holding her tight. She buried her face into the auburn hair of her girlfriend as she prepared to finally tell her. The other girl was silent, but gently touched the martial artist's hands, her bare skin only adding to the pleasing, teasing sensations.

"Aeris..." Tifa's face was flushed with embarrassment and she bit her lip. She could do this. Now she had started the fear lessened slightly, and a rising excitement seemed to pulse behind her ribs. She pulled gently at the flower girl who turned to face her, leaving the raven-haired girl's arms still wrapped around her waist. She was so beautiful; her astonishing emerald eyes, her soft brown hair, those soft pink lips that felt so good pressed against her own...

"Aeris," she spoke again and then brought their lips together; the kiss passionate and intense. Usually Tifa was content to let Aeris take the lead but this time she took the initiative; it felt right. She wanted to let her girlfriend know she was ready with more than just words. She cupped her partner's face with her hands as the kiss deepened. A deep, cool thrill swept through her as she realised this was the start of their foreplay. 

Her lover broke the kiss to murmur, "Wow... I've wanted you to do that to me for so long." Tifa was certain; her girlfriend wanted her too, had wanted her for so long, but had waited so patiently.

"Aeris," she spoke her name a third time, and the girl looked at her quizzically. Tifa swallowed. Now or never. "I... I want to... I... want you."

Aeris' face broke into a beautiful smile and this time she initiated the kiss, lips and tongues just added to the excitement churning inside her. "Are you sure?" Tifa nodded. "I think," the flower girl said with a gleam in her eye, "That both you and I are so very, very tired we need to go straight to bed. What do you think?"

"You're the doctor," the raven-haired girl was trying to suppress the eager smile that rose to her lips.

"Alas," Aeris looked down, "Medical ethics forbids me from sleeping with a patient." Tifa frowned, suddenly worried that she'd managed to ruin everything. But her physician was grinning, "And as such, I'm afraid I must cease to be your doctor. Are you okay with that?"

Relief flooded through her. "Of course I am!" Her face felt flushed, and she was breathing hard.

Aeris stepped back and took Tifa's hand. "Well then..." Her voice was quiet, but held so much promise. They walked hand in hand, a slow measured pace that she was sure was agonisingly slow for both of them. The receptionist informed them that two rooms had been assigned to the group as arranged by Cait Sith. She suppressed a groan and a faint curse at the mechanical cat. The ninja wouldn't be there, would she? Surely she would be still giddily enjoying the attractions? They walked up the stairs, the martial artist half tempted to stop and request a double room instead. But they were already at the door, and the key was turning in the lock. Tifa's heart plummeted as the flower girl pushed the door open and they heard someone humming. Yuffie. She'd been so close...

Aeris was entirely unfazed. "Yuffie," she said brightly as they entered and dropped their bags beside the door. "How would you feel about taking Cloud on a date for the evening?"

The ninja looked up from her small hoard of materia incredulously. "A date? With him? Please..."

"Don't be like that Yuffie," she crossed over to the bed the ninja sat cross-legged on. "He's been working hard all day to get the keystone; he needs some down-time. Here, I'll even pay for both of you." With a flourish the flower girl pushed her purse into the ninja's hands. She blinked up at the girl in pink who continued, "You'd be doing me a tremendous favour. I still owe him a date. Maybe he'd take one from you in lieu?"

The ninja was staring at the purse when a thought struck her, "Wait, you of all people owe him a date? When you're..." She trailed off as she noticed Tifa looking flushed, mentally urging Yuffie to leave the room. The ninja glanced from her to Aeris and then back again, eyes widening slightly and realisation dawning. The raven-haired girl wondered if her cheeks could get any redder as she felt the heat of embarrassment wash over her. 

"Oh. Oh! Y'know... it's really pretty out there, and kinda boring in here with nothing else to do but sort through my materia. I'll see if Cloud's up for some fun. He'd probably like to relax after fighting all day. Hey, I think there's some event on later tonight as well." She swung off the bed she'd been sat on and dropped the armful of materia into her open bag. She paused a moment and then discarded some smaller shuriken from a hidden pocket before heading for the door. She muttered something as she passed Aeris.

"Okay! So, I'm going to have a fun date with Cloud. Don't wait up for me! See you guys... later... maybe. I'll, er, I'll knock when I come back..." And then she was gone, the smiling Aeris following her to the door which she locked as it closed.

"What did she say?" Really, that should have been the last thing on Tifa's mind, but her curiosity got the better of her. The flower girl grinned, and then tried to look coy.

"To just tell her if we wanted some time alone." Tifa flushed, but then her girlfriend was in front of her and they were alone. She cared little for the Gothic atmosphere of the room, but the beds looked soft and comfortable. Aeris closed the distance between them, hands reaching out to her hips and those wonderful lips pressed against her own once more. Her passion hadn't cooled and she pushed herself against her girlfriend. With small, gentle steps, she felt herself pulled forwards, her feet gingerly stepping forward as her lover stepped back. 

Tifa felt the lips pressed against hers bend into a grin as the brunette dropped backwards, hands now gripping the martial artist and pulling her down on top of her. She found herself straddling Aeris, their bodies pressed together. The raven-haired girl pulled back from the kiss for a moment, the flower girl barely pausing as her lips brushed over her cheek leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw line. "I'm sorry if I do anything wrong," she gasped as the the Cetra moved to her neck eliciting an intense moan from her.

"Don't worry about anything like that," Aeris replied as she traced kisses down Tifa's neck, fingers pulling at the tank top to expose more of her shoulders. "Just relax and do whatever you think is right. We want to enjoy ourselves..." She paused a moment looking up at her with unbridled lust. The sight of those eyes... A new shiver rippled through her. She bent forwards kissing Aeris intently once more, now moving her hands to her sides, just below the flower girl's breasts. Tifa felt a hand creep under the hem of her tank top and glide up across her back in that familiar motion that made her shiver with delight. But this time there was no cloth in the way... She broke the kiss again, arching her back and moaning softly, now moving both of her hands upwards, feeling the soft flesh beneath her partner's clothes. Suddenly the martial artist was tumbling over, Aeris now lying on top of her cradled in her hips.

The Cetra looked deeply into her girlfriend's eyes for the merest sign of discomfort and ran her fingers delicately up from Tifa's side, gliding teasingly across her soft skin and onto her breast. It felt so good. No nerves, no worries, just pulses of pleasure as the finger skated across her top. She wanted to feel it on her skin, squirming and writhing beneath her girlfriend's touch. Aeris grew bolder, her hand now cupping and squeezing gently. 

"I don't think we really need these clothes at the moment..." the brunette muttered in between pressing her lips against the raven-haired girl's, running her hands back down to her waist. Tifa was panting, face flushed as she shook her head. The flower girl pulled the straps of her braces away from her shoulders and down her arms. Their bodies parted a moment as the tank top was pulled over her head and then they were together again. 

A sudden fear gripped Tifa, a stupid irrational fear as her clothing was discarded. Her scar. That thin white line that marked the day she had faced Sephiroth. She should have said something, warned her- 

Her thoughts melted away as Aeris' lips connected with the top of the damaged flesh and trailed kisses down her chest as if trying to heal the old wound. The sensations of her girlfriend's cheek on her breasts, and her lips on her skin overwhelmed any worries. The flower girl raised herself back up, hands gliding up Tifa's ribcage again. One hand snaked behind her back gracefully undoing the clasp and with a twitch of her other the bra hung slack. Aeris pulled the garment away and now her hand was on her, skin on skin, and she moaned once more. Her hands itched; they'd roamed to her lover's chest, but now she was desperate to touch her girlfriend's skin. She reached up as they kissed her once more and with fumbling fingers undid the buttons on her girlfriend's dress.

 

Tifa lazed contentedly, enjoying the feel of the wonderfully soft naked body lying behind her. Aeris cradled her in her arms, delicately placing kisses over her neck and shoulders. She reached up slightly awkwardly to stroke her cheek. "Thank you."

The flower girl kissed the hollow of her collarbone before answering. "Thank you."

The raven-haired girl smiled lazily. "I almost wish we'd done this sooner."

"You weren't ready back then. And I'm still sorry for trying to rush you. And it wouldn't have been half as nice as being here-"

She rolled over and caught Aeris' face in her hands. She kissed her gently, "You have nothing to apologise for. If I'd known it felt this good..." She trailed off and sighed, "So much wasted time..."

Aeris grinned, "We'll just have to make up for it. If you like..."

She smiled back as they kissed again, lazy and slowly but increasingly passionate. Shivers of excitement ran through Tifa as she slid her hands down her lover's back once more.


	13. A Moment of Separation

They made love again at Gongaga after the difficult trip back to the village. Tifa healed Aeris as best she could; the bruises and scratches slowly fading as the spells enveloped her. She was not surprised at the quietness of the flower girl after Cloud handed the Black Materia to Sephiroth and then attacked her. The startling betrayal had shocked them all and she wasn't sure if she was thankful the blonde SOLDIER was unconscious, or whether she would have rather demanded an explanation for his behaviour. As the last of the bruises faded, the brunette abruptly seduced her, but even as they lay in the afterglow, something still nagged at the Cetra until she slipped into a restless sleep beside her. 

Tifa lay back, staring up at the slightly decrepit ceiling. They'd taken a different house from Cloud and the rest of their party; Vincent and Yuffie had elected to keep an eye on the seemingly now out of control former SOLDIER. Cait Sith was gone; the last any of them had seen of the robot had been as it remained inside the Temple of the Ancients a mere hour before it contracted into the matte sphere of the Black Materia.

 

They'd been awoken from a pleasant doze by a frantic Yuffie; she and Cloud had watched horrified as Cait Sith passed the Keystone to the Turks. Upon confronting the robot he revealed his status as the spy in their midst and ensured his safety by revealing he held Marlene and Elmyra hostage. Tifa and Aeris were appalled, dressing quickly to meet with the others in the hotel lobby. But what could she do to the robot? It was nothing more then a puppet, and despite the operator's alleged misgivings about his methods, he was still holding the safety of Barret's daughter and the flower girl's mother over them. It was not a pleasant end to the night; Cait Sith went inert once more in the Hotel lobby as the others filed back to their rooms. 

Aeris tried to lighten the mood by asking Yuffie how her date had gone. It helped; Tifa didn't want to know, didn't feel like knowing, but soon found herself drawn into the conversation. The ninja related their unexpected casting in a play that night; with mere seconds of rehearsal time both she and Cloud repeatedly fluffed lines, forgot stage directions and performed strange improvisations. To the professional actor's credit they'd valiantly tried to compensate and for the most part succeeded, turning a very generic chivalric romance into a surreal comedy. Yuffie was barely able to speak coherently as she related the sequence of events; Aeris howled with laughter, and the martial artist clutched her stomach as she chuckled.

The date had included a ride on the gondolas as well. Yuffie flushed slightly when she mentioned this and Aeris pried; the mood had gotten to her, or so she claimed, and she'd kissed Cloud on the cheek. The brunette put her arm around the ninja's shoulders saying she'd always thought they'd end up together. Yuffie threw the arm off, insisting that she only went out to give them some space. He was too distracted for anything like that; he'd barely heard a word she'd said all evening. His attention was always on the horizon and their destination. Anyway, she commented haughtily, she was much more fond of Vincent.

The flower girl's gambit had worked, and while she still felt nervous about being around Cait Sith and heading to the Temple the next day, she found the laughter had done her some good. They retired to bed early, Yuffie taking the furthest bed, and the lovers cramming themselves into the same single. She would be glad once they were done with the temple and they could do this again.

 

The next morning was awkward. There was an unspoken agreement not to hinder or block Cait Sith, but conversations around him became brief, awkward and perfunctory at best. It was unpleasant after they'd all grown so close and spoken so easily before. But would she have rather the cat never reveal his secrets and carry on as if there were no problem? She couldn't decide. Even Aeris was suspicious of the robot's insistence he wanted to re-earn their trust. The new honesty of the cat had its advantages though; the unknown controller had revealed a few interesting details. Shinra had long ago located the Temple and he was able to provide Cid with a precise bearing to take the Tiny Bronco on. He also informed them that the Turks had reached the structure some hours before, but were worryingly overdue on checking in.

A nervous tension settled into Tifa's stomach as the Tiny Bronco skimmed through the water towards the forested island, a feeling that only deepened as they made land-fall. A rough trail ran from the beach, slowly widening into a paved path. It lead them towards the centre of the island and the immense clearing secreted there. They found a high pyramidal structure surrounded on all sides by a deep crevice, a single rope bridge spanning the gap. No birds sang in the trees and they could still hear the faint wash of the sea on the beach. There was no sign of either Sephiroth or the Turks.

As the Cetra stepped onto the bridge, her eyes widened and she sank to her knees, whispering something. Tifa could hear her repeating strange phrases and oblique terms, none of it making any sense to her. The martial artist knelt down beside her partner who turned to look at her with amazement in her eyes.

"I can understand it now!"

"The Planet?"

"Yes! It's... incredible," she breathed and tilted her head. "Sephiroth is close. He must not be allowed to take the Black Materia."

Cloud spoke up. "What is the Black Materia?"

Aeris shook her head, "I don't know. I can't get a clear answer here. But the Cetra... the Planet... they're both insistent he must not take it."

"Then we need to make sure we get it first," declared Tifa. 

 

They found Tseng slumped in what appeared to be the entrance. He was bleeding heavily and looked up blearily as they approached. A faint smiled touched his lips as his eyes settled on Aeris. He coughed painfully. "Didn't expect to see you here..." His gaze flicked to Cait Sith. The cat nodded.

"Yeah; I told 'em."

The Turk smiled slightly. "Figures. We didn't exactly help with your cover. I am surprised you're still with them..."

"Heh. You forget Tseng; I have some leverage with this bunch." The comment chilled Tifa, and she interrupted.

"If you hurt either of them..."

The cat turned, eyes wide. "I know, I know. Just remember this ain't me; I'm safely in Midgar."

"Must be nice," muttered Tseng. "You get to do all this completely safe and sound, while I get carved up by Sephiroth."

"He's here?"

The Turk nodded at Cloud. "He said something about becoming one with the planet... I didn't really understand what he meant... But he said the... way... was here." He fell silent, his breathing ragged. "I... We... we were supposed to look for clues to the location of the Ancient's Promised Land. But Sephiroth was more interest in a mural inside."

"A mural?" Tifa queried.

"Yeah. On one of the walls. Looked like something coming down from the sky."

"'The calamity from the sky,'" breathed Aeris shivering slightly.

"That was the last room we got to. That was where... Sephiroth found me. Here," awkwardly he held up a blood-soaked hand and the Keystone. "I can't do much anymore. I've just gotta hope Elena comes back soon." Cloud took the stone as the Turk rolled awkwardly away from the altar.

There was a green pulse nearby and a wave of healing energy washed over the Turk. Aeris lowered her hand. "Thank you."

Tseng's breathing was still ragged. "You'd help me... even after everything I've done?"

"You may be our enemy, but I can't just leave you to die. This should keep you going until Elena returns." Suddenly she winked at him. "I think you two would work well together."

The Turk smiled awkwardly, "Funny you should say that. Before I got filleted, I offered her dinner." He glanced between her and Tifa, "Glad to see you've got someone to help you through this." The raven-haired girl felt Aeris hand slip into her own. "Sorry to hold you up," he gestured to the plinth nearby. "Just put the keystone down there. I would offer you directions to that chamber we found. But... you'll see."

"Thank you, Tseng."

Cloud inserted the keystone into a depression on the altar. Tifa had expected a door or a passage-way to open to allow them further inside, but instead they began to sink slowly through the previously solid rocky floor. Tseng snapped a lazy salute as they vanished into the depths of the Temple.

 

The interior of the temple was vast. A thin mist seemed to lay across everything as far as they could see; they'd emerged on a stone-walkway which hung above other walkways, merging and splitting continuously. A sinking feeling rippled through those present; this was what Tseng had meant. Exploration of this space could take forever; Cloud was about to suggest that they simply follow the walkway for now, when Aeris spoke up. "I know the way."

"The Planet?" queried Tifa. Her girlfriend nodded. 

"Or perhaps I should say the Cetra," she added. She led them through galleries, taking always a side route. Rarely would she lead the party down one of the large central hallways they seemed to cross and recross as they followed the unheard voices that directed Aeris. They passed chalked notes the Turks had left; strange, almost absurd notes requiring navigation across a room in one direction but not another. If their conjectures were to be believed, space was folded and twisted here; the interior of the temple far exceeding the exterior.

Archaeologists would have been fascinated with a fraction of what they saw, but something was hurrying Aeris on, and no one seemed willing to hang back and potentially be abandoned, lost and never found in the twisted, non-Euclidean space. They passed plinths of strange unfamiliar glyphs which the brunette did not even pause at but simply let her fingers brush along the surface as she walked, her lips shaping some unknown language. For the first time Tifa began to question who the flower girl truly was, and what it meant to be in this relationship with a Cetra.

 

Aeris lead them to a long room, the walls coated with hieroglyphics. Tifa froze and Cloud's grip on his sword hilt tightened; the silver haired man stood before them, green eyes watching them with interest as they entered the room. "Sephiroth," breathed Aeris.

"Ancient," he spoke, his voice more familiar, but there was still that unnerving slur behind the words. His gaze flicked between the other party members before stopping on the blonde SOLDIER. The man was silent as he regarded the ex-SOLDIER.

"What are you planning?" demanded Cloud.

"I will become one with the planet," he intoned, a malicious smile appearing on his face still gazing at Cloud who fell silent.

"How do you intend to do that?" His gaze flicked to the Cetra, delighting in her fear.

"Whenever the planet is injured it draws the Lifestream to the wound to heal it. The amount of energy drawn is proportional to the severity of the injury." Aeris held his gaze, but Tifa could feel a tremble run through her. "If that injury is severe enough to threaten the very life of the Planet..." His smiled widened. "Then the entirety of the Lifestream will be drawn to the wound. And I will be be there to claim it all. I shall become a God."

Barret interrupted. "That ain't no different to what Shinra is doin.'"

Sephiroth laughed coldly. "Shinra? They leech from the Planet like ticks. My plans are on a much vaster scale." He gestured to one of the walls. "I will use the ultimate destructive magic; Meteor." The panel he motioned towards seemed to depict something vast plummeting from out of the sky.

"We'll never let that happen." The last Ancient scowled at the man in black, the silver-haired man merely chuckled; the sound echoing menacingly in the chamber. He vanished.

"Wha-?" exclaimed Cid, eyes roving the chamber for some trace of the man. "Was that really... him?"

"It was the same man we saw in the basement of the Shinra mansion," intoned Vincent. "Cloud?"

The former SOLDIER did not answer; his gaze had locked on the mural of Meteor. "Cloud?" Yuffie asked.

"...Meteor... Black Materia..." He muttered.

"Cloud!" Tifa raised her voice. 

He blinked. "He... got away...?"

"He did," said Cid watching him carefully. Aeris' head had been tilted to one side and she suddenly gasped.

"Aeris?"

"Meteor..." she breathed. "The spell... The Black Materia contains the spell Meteor. It... reaches out into space and then draws a meteor down towards it... until... Until it collides." She shook her head. "If he cast that spell... That kind of wound... If he could absorb the energy like he said... then the Planet wouldn't even begin to be able to heal itself..."

There was silence as the group digested the concept; the scale was almost absurd. How could it be possible and how could someone have conceived of it?

"What's that?" asked Cloud abruptly. He was looking towards a stone plinth with a pyramidal structure floating above it, Sephiroth had been standing before it when they entered the room. He moved forward, his hands seemingly drawn towards the floating object. As he brushed against it a rumbling spread through the Temple, making the party sway unsteadily, and causing dusting to float down from above them. He jerked his hand back and it halted. Aeris peered at it, eyes widening. 

"It's the Black Materia... No, wait." Again she tilted her head to one side slightly, listening to that inaudible voice. "The Temple itself is the Black Materia..."

"Doesn't seem like they needed to worry about anyone stealing it," Yuffie looked from the floating structure to the chamber around them, a little disappointed.

"No, it can be taken. But there's a price." Aeris indicated the floating object. "This is a model of the temple. It's also a puzzle; as you solve it the puzzle becomes smaller. As the puzzle becomes smaller so does the Temple." She swallowed. "Until the Temple is small enough to be picked up. Until the Temple has been changed back to the Black Materia." She looked back at her companions. "In order to take the Materia, someone must sacrifice themselves. The puzzle cannot be moved and must be solved within the Temple."

"What a defence mechanism," breathed Tifa.

"We can't leave it here though. I don't want to chance Sephiroth finding someone to solve this puzzle for him."

Aeris nodded as Cloud spoke, "But the price..."

Cait Sith sighed. "I'll do it."

"You?" Tifa glared at the cat. "What makes you think we'll trust you?"

"Nothing. And there's nothing I can say to persuade you to trust me now. But I can solve that puzzle and not die; remember this is not my real body - I'm perfectly safe. I don't want Sephiroth to get hold of the Black Materia either; I don't want the Planet to die."

"I refuse to allow Shinra to gain this magic either." Cloud frowned at the cat.

"Sadly you don't have a choice; unless one of you decides to throw their life away for this. I'm the only one who can do this and not die."

The former SOLDIER was silent. He looked at his companions each in turn and sighed, "You're right; we have no choice. Cait Sith, I will have to trust you with this."

"Thanks." The cat was silent a moment. When he spoke again his voice had deepened and his accent was gone, "You won't have to worry about Shinra, at least not with regards to this. The rescue team the Turks called in is still hours away. If you let me do this you can have the Black Materia and be away before they suspect anything."

"And you won't tell them anything?" Aeris remarked.

The voice chuckled. "I won't. Yesterday was my final betrayal. I shall sadly no longer be able to travel with you. I want you to know it has been an honour to travel with you all and I deeply regret my actions with the Keystone; all it seems to have achieved is to get Tseng injured." The moogle strode forward a few paces until it was in front of the plinth. "Marlene... Marlene and Elmyra are in Kalm. Shinra wanted them used as leverage against you, and as far as they know I have them in my safe-keeping. They just don't know where."

"Thanks," Barret grunted.

"Thank you," said the Cetra.

The voice spoke again, slightly strained. "No matter what you think of me, I hope to see you all again. I will try to keep an eye on you and divert Shinra as much as possible. It feels a bit late to be rebelling like this, but-" The cat turned with an exasperated sigh. "You'd better head out. I'll wait an hour before I start on the puzzle. Just make sure you're clear by then."

The flower girl crouched beside the moogle and wrapped her arms around the cat. "Thank you." She pulled back. "Can I ask two favours?"

"Two?" The cat looked incredulous.

She smiled. "The first is Tifa and I's fortune." Tifa couldn't help but smile at that. 

"And the second?" he asked.

"Your name."

"My name...?"

"Yes". She smiled, "The name of the one we need to thank later. You can whisper it if that would make you feel better."

The cat seemed to muse for a second before darting to her ear. "Ah."

"Now the fortune I suppose!" Cait Sith's voice had reverted. The moogle swayed and danced and held up a slip of paper to the cat. "Oh, I can't say it."

"What?" Tifa asked nervously.

"Poor Cloud."

She turned and looked at the man, who was trying to avoid looking at this little scene. Aeris patted the cat's head, "Come on, tell us."

"You are perfect for each other. Tifa's star and Aeris' star. They show a great future!"

The flower girl and the martial artist both smiled at the cat and then each other. There was a polite cough from behind them. Cid jerked a thumb behind him, "I think we should get moving before Shinra get any closer."

"You're right." Cloud nodded at Cait Sith, "Thank you."

They filed out, each nodding or saying their own thanks to the cat; Aeris and Tifa were last. "Good luck," said the other voice of Cait Sith.

 

It was an hour to the minute when a dark cloud enveloped the Temple. Avalanche had fallen back beyond the rope bridge unsure of just how far the Temple extended. The cloud became spherical and then contracted, the Temple vanishing with it as the ground shook. Aeris rushed forward as the rumbling ceased, Tifa and Cloud close behind. The Temple was gone and in its place lay a deep pit; at the bottom lay a sphere of jet black darkness.

"The Black Materia," breathed Aeris. She looked up to the sky. "Thank you, Cait Sith. Thank you-" She mouthed a name, but the martial artist did not catch it.

"What is his name?"

"I'll tell you when we're well away from here and the Shinra," replied the flower girl with a wink.

Cloud had already begun scrambling down the slope to the ground, Aeris and Tifa slithering down with him, both intrigued at the orb that lay below. The others made do with observing from the rim of the crater. The blonde SOLDIER reached out and pulled the sphere from the stony ground; it was twice as large as a typical materia sphere.

"The Black Materia," he breathed. "If we can keep this from Sephiroth, the Planet will be okay?"

Aeris nodded, "Even if he had it, he wouldn't be able to cast it here... He'd need somewhere where the planet's energy is converging." She looked at Tifa, "He'd need to take it to the Promised Land." She frowned suddenly. "Sephiroth... He's not human. He's something... else."

"Yes. I'm far superior." That voice. That voice would always send chills down her spine. The martial artist whirled. Sephiroth was crouched on an outcrop half way down the pit. "After journeying in the Lifestream for so long, I have learnt all the wisdom of the Ancients." He dropped down, crouching as he landed. "Soon I shall use it to create my own future."

The Cetra was trembling, "I won't let you. We'll stop you!"

"I wonder about that..." His cold smile again.

"The... the... noise," Cloud clutched at his head, grimacing in pain. 

"Cloud?"

He didn't appear to hear her. Sephiroth took a step forward and Tifa fell back, the reaction involuntary. She grabbed for Aeris' hand as he stepped forward again. Her worst nightmare stood before her. And then... Cloud slowly extended his arm, offering up the Black Materia to the silver-haired man. He smiled his glacial smile and took the sphere. "Thank you... Cloud." He stepped back, and then shot impossibly up into the air, arcing away from the pit. Vincent and Barret reacted first and began firing at the floating figure.

"Cloud?"

"Cloud!"

The flower girl and the martial artist both called to the quivering form. "I... gave the Black materia to Sephiroth?" He gasped. "Why... Why did I...?"

Suddenly his fist lashed out catching Aeris' jaw. She spun, falling to the ground, hands clutching her face. "Cloud!" screamed Tifa enraged. With horrible speed he lashed out at the flower girl again, and the martial artist's leg smashed into his back a second later. The raven-haired girl was on him as he struggled to push her away. His eyes were unfocused and he carried on his assault as if mechanised. There was no hate, no malice there, just an automatic reaction. She was in no mood to deal with it. Cloud was possibly stronger thanks to SOLDIER, but she was quicker. She evaded his blows, raining her own down upon his head. 

It was horrible; the unnerving stillness of the girl clutching at her face beside her, Cloud's near silent exertions, the confused shouting of the party behind her as they scrambled down into the pit. Then he was suddenly still; she'd either knocked him out or he'd fainted. She wasted no time in gathering up Aeris in her arms. Her girlfriend was shivering and shaking, Tifa just held her as the others reached them.

"What the hell was that?" exclaimed Cid.

"Why'd he... What was... Ah!" Barret threw up his arms in exasperation.

"We need to move," Vincent was calm but insistent. "We need to get out of here before the Shinra arrive."

"Agreed," Yuffie went to couple. "Can you two make it to the plane?"

Tifa was able to coax Aeris' hands from her face, gasping at the bruise that ran up from her jaw. Talking seemed to hurt her and she could do little more then whisper. "I'll be okay. Let's go."

"What about him?" asked Vincent, gesturing to the unconscious man. "Do we leave him?"

She was torn, as seemingly was everyone else. "We owe him a chance to explain himself. If nothing else," whispered the flower girl.

"Are you sure?" asked Tifa. She received a bleary-eyed nod in return. "He comes with us," she said so the others could hear. "We need to find out why he did those things."

Cid nodded slightly reluctantly. "Barret? Wanna help me with this guy?"

They moved as quickly as they could, Yuffie taking Aeris' other arm as they scrambled back out of the pit and back across the island. No one spoke as the plane sped away from the island; they had no plan of action and nowhere to Tifa simply asked Cid to head for land.

 

"Tifa."

Her eyes flickered open. Aeris had gotten dressed and was now perched on the edge of the bed. Tifa sat up, drawing the sheets around her. The flower girl reached out and took her partner in her arms. "I love you."

"I love you too." She drew back slightly. "What's wrong?"

"I... I need to go." The Cetra looked sad.

"Go? Go where?"

"North. I have to stop Sephiroth. I have to stop him before he can summon Meteor. I have to stop him and I'm the only one who can. It's my destiny as the last Cetra."

"You really think he'll use that Materia?"

Aeris shook her head. "We don't know. But after what he said in the Temple, I don't think I-, we, can take that chance."

Tifa tightened her grip on her girlfriend. "Let me come with you. Let me protect you."

The flower girl smiled sadly. "I can't let you do that. I have to do this alone. But when it's over, I'll come back to you. I promise. I... I just couldn't leave without saying goodbye."

The martial artist shook her head. "I don't care. You aren't going to get rid of me that easily. I'd follow you to the ends of the Planet."

The Cetra sighed. "I thought you might say that." She smiled.

"So. Where are we going?" asked Tifa brightly, getting out of bed and locating her clothes. 

"The Cetra City; through the Sleeping Forest."

"Are we going now?"

"Yes, before the others wake." She leaned in to kiss Tifa. "I'm so sorry."

And then it was too late. She caught the pulse of green light from the materia Aeris held behind her back. Her eyelids and limbs became like lead. "I'm so sorry." Aeris spoke again, and it was like she was looking up at her from out of a dark well. The flower girl looked distraught, and then darkness enveloped her.


	14. A Moment of Love

Blearily Tifa forced her eyes open. Her throat was parched and her head pulsed with pain. The sunlight streaming through the hundreds of gaps in the roof hurt her eyes. She rolled over, her head still foggy and reached a hand out for Aeris, finding nothing but cool sheets. There was a clink of shifting materia orbs from beside the bed and the martial artist turned to follow the noise. No one else lay in the bed and Yuffie lazed in a chair peering into the depths of a red sphere. Where was Aeris? Suddenly her thoughts snapped into focus.

"Aeris!" She sat up, Yuffie starting at the sudden noise.

"Tifa!"

"Where... where's Aeris?" she asked, an awful premonition already coursing through her head. She knew she was right from the look on the ninja's face.

"We hoped you might know... She's gone... She's been missing a week..." She trailed off as Tifa digested the information.

"A week?" She gasped. "I've been sleeping a week?" Yuffie nodded. "We've got to get after her."

Yuffie smiled slightly, as Tifa unsteadily got to her feet and began pulling on her clothes. "Cid's already prepping the plane."

Tifa paused. "How... how does he know where we're going?"

"Cloud woke up this morning. He had some kind of dream... He said Sephiroth knew where Aeris was going... and that he was going to stop her."

"Where did he say she was going?"

Yuffie told her and the martial artist gasped. "That's exactly what she told me..."

The ninja stared at her. "She told you she was going? And you let her?"

"Not out of choice! You think I'd let her go alone like that Yuffie?"

The other girl hung her head. "No... no of course not."

"She sent me to sleep after saying goodbye," muttered Tifa sadly. She straightened and continued dressing. "But if Sephiroth is after her, we can't waste any time."

The ninja nodded.

 

The Tiny Bronco skimmed over the water as the air grew chillier. She'd never been this far North - none save the pilot had. There was little in the inhospitable climate save the archaeological dig site of Bone Village and the winter resort of Icicle Inn. And yet Aeris had told both her and Cloud that a lost City was hidden on the continent. Cloud had looked away guiltily when she and Yuffie had joined the remnants of their group. He apologised profusely for his actions, and while she could not quite stay angry at him, she told him firmly that she was not the one he had to apologise to. She scrambled forwards to Cid; the land mass of the continent was just visible ahead as they raced towards it.

"What do you know about this place?" she yelled over the roar of the engines.

"Bone Village? Quiet place; all academic types there. Spend their entire time scrabblin' around in the dirt. They've got this amazing skeleton they dug up a few years back. Looks like an unknown dragon type or somethin.'"

"You're certain we should be headed there? Not Icicle Inn?"

The pilot shook his head, "For one we have nowhere near enough fuel to make it round to the coast; and that's if the sea isn't frozen yet. The other reason is that Bone Village sits right in front of the Sleeping Forest. And since both of you mentioned that, I figured it was our best bet."

"Do you know what's beyond the forest?"

Cid shook his head. "As far as I know no one has either gotten through it and gotten back. No one's managed to fly over it either; there's some weirdness with magnetics in that whole region. Biggest mystery on the whole Planet."

"Sounds the most likely place for a lost city, doesn't it?"

"You said it, sister." He smiled, a cigarette perched between his lips as usual.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Wait 'til we know she's safe."

The thought sobered her, and she sat back to watch the land grow larger.

 

Cloud lead the way through the deeply shadowed groves of the Sleeping Forest. The teams at Bone Village had confirmed a brown-haired girl with green eyes and a pink dress had passed into the forest three days earlier, ignoring their dire warnings in much the same way Cloud had. They had plunged into the woods without delay; the forest nothing like they expected. The edge that bordered the excavation sites was densely packed, barely any room between one tree and the next, forcing them onto the rough dirt path that trailed off into the gloom. Cloud strode on, moving purposefully through the trees even after the path petered out. The densely packed trunks reduced and the forest became almost pleasant as they moved North. The tree canopy was still close to total, but rays of sunlight still shone down through gaps in the foliage. The wall of trees that marked the perimeter fell behind them and they soon found themselves walking along a natural avenue, the trees becoming more naturally spaced. 

"This is where I saw him," Cloud said quietly.

"Sephiroth?" muttered Barret. The former SOLDIER nodded nodded.

"Aeris ran that way," he gestured forwards; they could distantly see a gap in the treeline ahead. It was a few miles to the forest's opposite edge where they found the the remnants of a small camp. Aeris' staff had been lent up against a tree like some kind of monument with her small clutch of materia spheres lying beside it. There was the remnants of a fire and a brief meal along with other oddities. Her red jacket and sleeping bag lay neatly folded beside the blackened twigs, and piled upon this were her bracelets, boots and socks.

"A ritual perhaps?" Vincent mused. "She left everything she didn't need behind her."

"She's awfully trusting," murmured Yuffie, turning the materia over with her fingers. 

"We'll take it with us. For her." Tifa carefully picked up the jacket and the bracelets. Aeris' scent drifted up from the garment, that ever present aroma of flowers; She was close. Cid picked up the staff and strapped it to his back in place of his spear while Yuffie dropped the loose materia into her own bag, insistent she could separate out the Cetra's later. The raven-haired girl pulled the bolero jacket over her shoulders, not caring it didn't quite fit her, and then slipped the bracelets over her wrists.

The edge of forest was perched on the brow of a small rise, and they walked out into the open air at last. A curious path swept from the forest opening and disappeared around the rocky cliffs ahead. The path was cracked - no not cracked, segmented; formed from overlapping stones that resembled the spine of some gigantic creature, each vertebrae sunk deep into the ground. There was no choice but to follow it and then the city lay before them. Tifa had been expecting something that roughly matched the design of the Temple, but the City could scarcely be more different. Gigantic structures spiralled up out of the ground, looking like the discarded stone shells of some long dead and forgotten sea creature. Between these were expanses of dust and rubble, strangely free of weeds and other encroaching vegetation. The path split into three; one proceeded directly ahead, while the other two arced around the plateau. Contrary to the cooler air of Bone Village and the Sleeping Forest, the City was unexpectedly clement. The silence was almost oppressive in the city, disturbed only by the scuff of their boots as they walked. There could be no one here... could there? No one living... Tifa desperately tried to put the thought out of her head again. Aeris had to still be alive; they could not be that far behind her.

"I... I can smell Aeris' scent," Nanaki spoke up. He lowered his head to the ground, his nostrils flaring slightly. "It leads that way." He gestured along the path that ran ahead of them and into a rocky formation topped with gleaming white trees. An avenue lined with the same luminous trunks lead them into a clearing where another shell-like structure towered up from the bank of a small lake. The water was crystal clear, revealing the body of water to be astonishingly deep.

The interior of the shell spiralled up to a dead end; no one could hazard a guess at the building's former function, or the designs within. The walls were bare, and if there had been anything else previously it had been removed. The building felt wrong somehow, as if the spiralling interior should have lead up to something; it felt like a built structure on the inside, while a natural growth on the outside. Frustratingly there was still no sign of Aeris. The martial artist sighed, fiddling with the small flower she had picked from the Sleeping Forest; the flower girl had given her so many and now she wanted to at last return the favour. Nanaki padded up beside her and spoke in a low tone.

"I've lost her scent. There were traces of her on the path here, but now I can not pin-point her. I'm... I'm sorry."

She smiled softly. "Thank you, Nanaki. At least we know she was here."

 

They scoured the city as the day wore on; finding empty, strangely clean buildings and structures. Outside of the physical structures there was few remnants of the Cetra here, and no further signs of Aeris. Nanaki reiterated that her scent was strongest near the secluded lake, but even tracking the faint traces to the doorway of the shell building could not indicate a clearer destination for the flower girl. Grudgingly they retreated to one of the buildings that seemed to have been some kind of dwelling; there were beds set into the curved inner walls.

It felt oddly safe in this empty city, but Tifa found herself unable to doze off even as the others fell into peaceful slumbers. She stared at the flower, hoping that Aeris would appreciate the gesture.

"...Tifa..."

The martial artist started at the sound, her heart hammering in her chest as she held her breath listening for her lover's voice once more. There; it was faint but she heard it. A rustling from behind her made her look round. Cloud had risen and was looking distractedly through the air. "Was that... Aeris?" he breathed. She could only nod mutely. The whispering voice came again and an agitation overtook her. She was here and her hands itched to hold her once more. "Guys!" She hissed, somehow unable to raise her voice. "It's Aeris."

 

Straining her ears, Tifa lead them towards the the gradually rising volume of the voice; it lead them inevitably once more to the secluded lake and the high twisting shell house. Somehow Aeris had come to this building and then seemingly vanished into thin air. The raven-haired girl followed the gentle spiral up through the interior once more, wondering if this time the passage way would be longer and lead her at last to her lover who would be waiting patiently with that gorgeous smile. Cloud abruptly stopped short and stared down into the hollow core of the building. She followed his gaze and gasped. When they had visited the structure before a block of clouded crystal had been set flush with the bottom of the interior slope. It was now missing revealing a crystalline staircase that spiralled out of sight into a vast space below. 

The stairs were dizzying; heavy blocks of a crystalline substance suspended by some unseen and unfamiliar construction. There were no guard rails and each member of the party stuck resolutely to the centre of the path as they descended. The stairs arced through subterranean darkness and slowly circled an almost conical structure far below them. Moonlight illuminated only a tiny portion of the vast cavern, its scale hidden in the darkness that hung all around them.

"There's someone down there..." Nanaki peered down at the structure below.

Tifa's heart was in her throat. "Is it...?"

He squinted. "I think so. It must be."

They moved quicker, Cloud leading the way with Tifa right behind him. It took so frustratingly long as the staircase swept away and around the structure, slowly circling closer to it. They were now close enough that she could see that it was indeed Aeris on the platform and relief flooded the martial artist as they walked. The flower girl did not move but remained kneeling, her head bowed and her hands clasped in front of her. The raven-haired girl wanted to call out but the words died in her throat. How could she possibly interrupt her prayer?

The stairs ended in a series of large platforms, forcing them jump awkwardly from one to the next. Tifa grew concerned; there was no reaction from the praying girl as they landed on each stone. Aeris was remained still and silent. The martial artist paused for a moment, entranced by the way the pale moonlight played across her partner before noticing that Cloud had made the last jump onto the platform the Cetra knelt on. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the SOLDIER draw the Buster Sword from his back.

"Cloud!" she yelled her voice ringing hollowly in the massive space. There was no response as the blonde SOLDIER clasped the hilt with both hands.

"Cloud!" barked Nanaki. The man lifted the sword up above his head.

"What are you doing?" yelled Tifa. She started forwards as Cloud cried out in pain. His muscles were tensed to swing but instead the sword wavered. 

"No..." he gasped. The sword jerked forward a few horrifying millimetres as the martial artist considered her options. She dug frantically in her bag for materia.

"No!" yelled Cloud. His arms jerked backwards and his hands released the sword; it clattered onto the platform as Cloud sank to his knees, his head in his hands. Tifa started forward again as Aeris' eyes opened. She glanced concerned at the anguished Cloud before casting about until she found her girlfriend, and smiled. The martial artist felt relieved once more. Now she just had to get Cloud away from the flower girl before anything like the Temple happened again. There was a pulse of green light from behind Aeris.

A movement caught her eye; something was above her and falling. She barely heard the gasps as her head jerked up and she saw Sephiroth plummeting down towards Aeris, the Masamune clasped in both hands ready to impale his unwary prey below. 

 

Her fingers closed on the materia, reflexes screaming from the years of martial arts practice as she concentrated as fast as she could. He was too close. Just let this be in time... Just this. 

The flower fell from her hand.

The sphere in her hand pulsed green mere seconds before the Masamune touched the Cetra. The space around the flower girl warped slightly, and took on a blurred appearance. The Masamune impacted the edge of the barrier, slowing as the shield thickened around the sword point and becoming visible. The blade continued to push inwards towards Aeris who had started to turn in response to her partner's actions. Her eyes widened as she found herself inches from the deadly blade. Tifa gritted her teeth and concentrated. Painfully slowly the Masamune was pushed back out of the barrier. Sephiroth dropped down onto his feet and pulled the sword back. He struck the barrier causing orange octagons to dance in the air as the spell absorbed the blow and the force was dissipated. He struck twice more before glaring at the group; those awful eyes fell on her and that cold smile appeared on his face.

She could only dimly hear the commotion behind her, all her efforts expended on maintaining the shield. There was the boom of a fire-arm, followed by the steady pulse of machine gun fire. A shuriken whirled overhead; Sephiroth knocked it away with his sword and nimbly stepped behind Aeris' shield forcing Barret and Vincent to stop firing. He was using the martial artist's protection of the flower girl against them.

"Puppet." The silver-haired man spoke suddenly, gesturing towards Cloud. The man unfolded slowly, rising to his feet, arms danging limply at his side until they reached down to grasp the sword hilt once more. The man in black gestured again and the former SOLDIER turned to face her. Sephiroth struck the barrier with a few more blows. Aeris looked panicked; there was nothing she could do.

"Cloud! What the hell do ya think you're doing?!" yelled Barret as the ex-SOLDIER took a faltering step forward, his sword raised. Grinning Sephiroth stepped back to smash the barrier again and again.

"Cid!" Yuffie was yelling. "Distract him! I've got a plan."

"Better be a damn good one. I ain't dying here."

Cloud swung his sword down towards the martial artist, Cid hastily blocking and deflecting the blow.

"Hey, hey, hey, Spike-Boy! I'm your opponent!"

Cloud's movements had the same awful mechanised feel as his attack at the Temple; Cid fortunately got his attention, his spear arcing through the air deflecting blows and striking at the SOLDIER. Tifa's hands hurt; her left was aching as it clutched tightly around the sphere and the muscles in her right arm were beginning to burn. Her head pounded as she continued to concentrate fiercely on maintaining the shield.

"Hang on a bit more Tifa!" Yuffie again. What was she planning? There was a clink of materia. "Cid! Knock him out."

He smiled. "Finally!" He knocked a heavy blow away one-handed as he drew a materia sphere with his other. It pulsed green and Cloud collapsed to the floor, his sword bouncing away.

"Now!"

"I hope I do this right," muttered Barret.

Yuffie, Barret and Vincent each held a red sphere. A glow built to almost painful brightness in each as white fire enveloped their left hands and spread across their body to their right. Arcane symbols hung in the air for a moment as energy collected and then with a pulse the energy dispersed, shooting away from them, the spheres still glowing brilliantly. The pulse from Yuffie splashed into the water beside them suddenly churning up the liquid. The Avalanche leader's arced up overhead, and in the darkness above, there was the impossible suggestion of storm-clouds. Vincent's arced back over his head and onto a crystal step which seemed to become coated with frost.

Still Tifa concentrated, ignoring everything, even the roars that now reached her ears. The churning water burst apart revealing a long snake like creature. It locked its gaze on Sephiroth and struck. He left the protected Cetra, now floating to meet the summon as it twisted and coiled, head darting forward to injure the silver-haired man. A blast of cold air accompanied a hail of ice shards as they arced down onto the silver-haired man; the ice goddess was already forming another set. The SOLDIER's grin began to diminish as the two summons attacked. They were joined by one more. With a roar and rush of air, the dragon set itself carefully down between the floating man and Aeris. He scowled as fire erupted from the summon and washed over him; he dispersed it with a wave of his sword, but then ice shards stabbed down at him again and the serpent tried to knock him down and into its twisting coils in the water below.

He glanced down to Cloud and registering him unconscious, dropped his hand. With a snarl he suddenly shot upward and out of sight, the dragon rising to follow, a burst of energy escaping its jaws that shot up and after the retreating man in black. It's form became unclear and indistinct, fading to blue coiling energy that slowly dissipated, the other two summoned creatures following suit a moment later. There were relieved sighs from the trio of summoners as the glows diminished and faded from the red materia spheres. Tifa scarcely noticed; her eyes were still on Aeris who had watched astonished as Sephiroth was driven off. Her muscles screamed with pain and she felt a hand gently laid on her back.

"Tifa. Tifa! It's okay. He's gone. You can stop now," Yuffie's arms were around her, one hand gently tugging her right hand down, the other trying to prise her grip from the materia. With a gasp, Tifa let go. The shield around Aeris wavered for a moment and faded. Her aching arm hung limply and the materia slid from her loosened grip. Her girlfriend scrambled to her feet and rushed to her. The impact almost knocked her backwards, but she didn't mind, agonisingly bringing her arms up to embrace her.

"Thank you." Aeris clung to her. Neither said anything more or moved for some time. She could faintly hear some murmuring as the others moved around, the quiet clink of materia as it was stowed away again and then some grimacing as someone pushed Cloud's sword further from him. They kissed frantically and repeatedly, both thankful to be alive. Tifa's hands and arms were still in agony, her head still pounded, but she didn't care. Her girlfriend was safe. She held her in her arms just relishing the feel of her against her once more, never entirely realising how much she'd longed for her while she had been away. A thought struck her, and she cast around, finding the flower she picked remarkably undamaged. With a smile she raised it and slid it gently behind Aeris' ear, earning herself a surprised but grateful smile.

Tifa pulled her back into her embrace once more. "I just wanted to... once," she murmured into the flower girl's ear. Aeris' lips found her cheek and trailed back to her lips. And then with a sigh she slid back onto her haunches and rose, never letting go of her hand.

"Can you stand?"

The martial artist nodded, and Aeris gently helped her to her feet. They crossed to the platform where the others stood in a ring around Cloud.

"Twice now," said Vincent. Yuffie crouched down as if to view Cloud better. 

"It never looks like he's in control though."

"No," Nanaki was musing. "Did you hear Sephiroth? He called Cloud a puppet."

"Ya mean he can control him?" exclaimed Barret.

"It seemed like it. To some degree. He fought it off at first when he tried..." he trailed off. "The question remains what do we do about this?"

"It would be unwise to leave someone as strong as Cloud behind if Sephiroth can take control of him." Vincent regarded the prostrate form.

"Agreed," Yuffie put in rising to her feet again.

"We can't kill him." Aeris sounded stronger then Tifa felt. And as painful as it was, she concurred. 

"If we do that, we're no better then Sephiroth, and what he tried to do. Cut down someone in the way," she squeezed Aeris slightly as she said it.

"I guess we have to restrain him then," mused Cid. "And this time, we find out exactly what is wrong with our ex-SOLDIER."

Tifa felt a chill run through her. She needed to tell them. Now more then ever.

"There's... there's something I need to tell you. About Cloud's past, about Nibelheim."

"Tifa..." Aeris looked concerned.

"It's okay. I've kept it hidden long enough and after today, there is no one I trust more then all of you. You deserve to know what I know." She took a deep breath. "Cloud never returned to Nibelheim."


	15. A Moment of Honesty

"Cloud Strife... was a boy I knew in my childhood. He wasn't really a friend I'm sad to say. He was a loner, he never really played with the rest of us. The other kids didn't like him, and my father in particular had a special dislike for Cloud. He trailed after me one day when I was at my lowest; we'd all heard that no one could cross Mount Nibel and live... and for some reason I got it into my head that my mother could have made it since she'd already passed on. I thought she might be waiting just on the other side of the mountain. We were kids, and I was looking for any chance to get my mom back. We didn't know he'd followed us, and... and we let him take the blame for what happened. My friends got scared on the trail up the mountain and ran back to town. Cloud followed me, and we both wound up tumbling off a cliff. I was knocked out in the fall and my father blamed Cloud for everything when the search party finally found us. He told him to stay away from me... and those so called friends; they laid the blame right at his door. It's funny, aside from one letter I never heard from any of them again... whereas Cloud..."

"I'm getting distracted. Cloud made a promise to me. I feel a bit stupid now, its kind of meaningless given all that I found about myself recently. At the time though I anticipated growing up, finding a husband, settling down and starting a family - not the storybook romance but what seemed to be the standard for the real world. I never entertained the thought of Cloud in that capacity... But I guess... No, I know he always had a thing for me. One night he called me out to talk. We sat on the water tower watching the stars when he told me he would be leaving in the morning to enrol in SOLDIER; he wanted to become stronger. I don't know why I said it, but I did. I asked him - no I made him promise that if ever I was in trouble he'd to come rescue me. He promised. It was a strange time, and I suddenly realised that he'd been around so much that not having Cloud around would be weird. Everyone else had plans to seek out fame and fortune in Midgar. Everyone but me. I... could have gone, but my father... I couldn't just abandon him, I was all he had left in the world. Cloud vowed he'd become a first class SOLDIER and that if I was ever in need, he would come to my rescue."

"And I believed him. His mother was distraught the next morning when she found he was gone. My father looked relieved, and I resented him for that. All my life I'd been hearing how troublesome the Strife boy was. There had been some bad blood between my father and his; Cloud's mother and my father were at least civil, but I think my father saw far too much of Cloud's father in him. And then he was gone too, and all I had was some silly teenage promise. Time wore on as it does in small towns. The others left, and I was left alone. I tried not to think about it; I helped my father and over time finally explored every nook and cranny of Mount Nibel. I did finally see the other side of that mountain one day. But no one was waiting for me..."

"I became a protege of a martial artist named Zangan. He taught me everything I know, and I'm ashamed to say I have no idea where he is now... but I'm getting ahead of myself now. Zangan taught me to fight, and I used what he taught me to keep the town safe. As I explored the mountain, I fought the monsters I found there. I was the protector of the town, and it felt good to put the skills I'd taught to use like that. But it got too much; Zangan started coming with me, but even we got overwhelmed. We could just about hold the monsters back... and that was in conjunction with the intermittent power failures of the reactor. We had no idea at the time, but after travelling with you all I've realised it. You all remember the reactor on Mount Nibel? Sorry, Cid: the reactor was nowhere near the town - it was a mile or two up the mountain. Why would they situate the reactor so far away? Maybe it was something to do with Jenova being there? Wait. I'm getting ahead of myself again."

"The reactor power waxed and waned, coinciding with monster activity in the area. A call was sent back to Shinra for some help with the monster problem and the repair work; no one in town had the clearance to even enter the reactor. We figured they'd send a repair crew, maybe some kind of armed response out eventually; what were we but a mountain town that took days to get to? Well, maybe I'm selling the town short. The Shinra mansion? That was the former home of the Shinra family, long before their rise to power with Mako energy. And Nibelheim itself has the dubious honour of being the first of the reactors ever brought online. So maybe that's why... It was a case of prestige, but still, think for a second and it's still strange. Shinra sent two first class SOLDIERs to Nibelheim to put down a monster outbreak and fix a malfunctioning reactor. Despite the start of my story, there were two first class SOLDIERs there five years ago."

"At the time I was too awe-struck, too excited at the possibility of seeing someone from my childhood again, I was certain I would see Cloud again and I didn't question anything. I'd gotten an odd letter back from my friends; the first and last. They'd looked for him, wanted to let bygones by bygones, and stick together; they didn't like Midgar and wanted a friend. They never found him. But, two first class SOLDIER's? In my hometown? Who else would they send? But why two SOLDIERs? No technician came with them. And as much as Sephiroth claimed he understood the reactor enough to fix it, it seemed odd to waste the General's time like that."

"See, now I think it was all deliberate and Shinra knew that reactor was going to have troubles. They needed some reason to get Sephiroth up there and I think the plan went wrong; the town was caught up in something beyond our knowledge, something Shinra hadn't anticipated. I was there, waiting, when the truck arrived; it brought four people with it: Sephiroth, two members of the Shinra infantry... and a SOLDIER named Zack Fair. I... I wanted to say something in Gongaga, but I... I just couldn't. Not then. And what could I really tell his parents? That the last I saw of their son was when his commanding officer and friend obliterated a quiet mountain town?"

"Cloud wasn't there. Instead there were two SOLDIERs neither of which was someone I knew. I was disappointed, but I'd wound up with a job to do; I was to guide them up to the reactor. I couldn't face them then, rather then be reunited with the newly successful Cloud, four men I never saw before walked into my town."

"And now... things are going to get strange. From this point on my story dovetails with the one Cloud told you all. Almost exactly. But the actions he described himself doing... well, that was all Zack. I can't even begin to guess at what this means, but as he said, the three of us posed for a silly memento photo; me, Zack and Sephiroth. He walked with us up to the reactor, he fell off the bridge as we lost one of the infantrymen. And I saw him go into the reactor with Sephiroth. Given what I've just told you I don't know if I can be certain what happened inside is as Cloud said, but from what I would see later..."

"Based on that, I see no reason to doubt those events occurred, but how he could know them is still a mystery. There was a stepped room of pods in the heart of the reactor. There was a sealed door with the word Jenova stencilled over the top. But he couldn't have seen them. That day I had to wait outside the reactor; no unauthorised personnel I was told. When Sephiroth emerged, he was changed. Zack was concerned; he was nice, a friendly guy so different to his superior. Even then Sephiroth seemed distant and cold."

"While I told you that Cloud did not return to Nibelheim, there are moments in his version of events that I cannot explain. He said he returned home to visit his mother. I did not see Mrs. Strife during that time, so I cannot comment on that. But Cloud knew about that letter I mentioned. He'd only mentioned a few snippets but they were exact quotes. Zack never went near my house; he spent most of his time in the hotel or in the Shinra mansion once Sephiroth locked himself up. How could Cloud have read that letter, or rather, why would Zack...?"

"Again, I can offer no opposing viewpoint for Sephiroth's actions within the manor, but what Cloud said fits with the actions of Sephiroth as he spread fire around the town and started slaughtering us. It was horrible. No, horrible is too trite; this tiny mountain town decimated by the actions of a madman. Like Cloud I cannot begin to explain how that replica is standing there now. Nor can I explain the evasiveness of the so called residents."

"My story does not last much longer. I ran after my father to the reactor; he was furious, demanding answers from the SOLDIER. I had no idea where Zack was in the confusion, but prayed that he was still sane. Two insane SOLDIERs was a fate worse then I could conceive of... Until I reached the reactor; my father lay dead, slain by Sephiroth's sword. I took up his blade in vengeance and tried to strike him down. I failed, and as Cloud described, I was injured. I can offer only one minor additional detail of this moment. That room marked Jenova was still sealed as fell unconscious."

"There is nothing more until I awoke in Midgar some months later. A benefactor had paid my bills and arranged for my safe-keeping. I was resting in a run-down hospital in the Sector 7 slums; I'd been transferred from place to place as the money dwindled and now I was almost at the bottom of the pile. When I was recovered enough to be mobile I sought out anything I could find of the incident. There was not much to find. Sephiroth, the mighty general and war-hero was declared dead - killed by a freak accident on a top-secret mission; any mention of his descent into madness was absent. The burning of the town, the home of the Shinra family and the site of the first reactor were likewise never mentioned. I scoured news reports for anything. I found nothing. I began to sound like a lunatic as I asked about my home burning and insisted that the war hero was a genocidal madman."

"I even tried contacting Shinra directly. The official routes stonewalled rapidly, but the most unnerving time was when I asked to talk to Zack Fair. As Aeris can confirm, he was, is, real. Shinra insisted they had no record of a SOLDIER with that name ever serving. Whatever happened at Nibelheim, by chance or deliberate planning was being repressed."

"That vow Cloud said I made? I really did, and it got me into trouble at first. As much as the slums hated the people above them, no one was truly willing to come out and bad mouth them. They talked of Avalanche in hushed tones and how they'd be like the rebels before them, crushed and reviled. Your best bet to survive was to keep your head down. I didn't, and I wound up meeting Barret, Marlene, Jessie, Wedge and Biggs. We set up the Seventh Heaven as somewhere to meet and at least try to fund our operations. We all hated Shinra; we all had our reasons."

"It was only four months ago when I saw Cloud again. This Cloud. And without a shadow of a doubt I can tell you this is the person who made that promise to me in Nibelheim, who set out to become a SOLDIER. He was sick... I found him lying in the street; I could scarcely believe it was him at first. He was wearing that SOLDIER uniform, and he carried that sword. That sword that looked identical to the one I saw wielded by Zack. Cloud could barely speak at first and even as he became coherent, his words were a terrifying jumble. He asked me about Nibelheim, and related what his version of events; the inside of the reactor, sneaking into my house, into his own, the Shinra mansion..."

"What could I say to him? He was confused, alone, and sick in some way I've never seen before. Except, maybe, those black cloaked figures we saw in Nibelheim. He was like them at first. He got better though, got stronger. He was Cloud, the former SOLDIER. He was Cloud with the events of that day almost perfect, elusive on certain details but otherwise it was like he had been there. But he wouldn't stay. Even after he recovered he was planning to leave, to head out. He would never say where. I convinced Barret to use him in the reactor assaults just to keep him around, to try and figure out what happened."

"I cannot prove that my memories are true. Maybe the oddities I remember are a result of my injuries. Maybe I hit my head and now I remember hair colour wrong. And attitude. And actions. No, I can't claim that Cloud came back to Nibelheim. And I cannot begin to understand the connection he has with Sephiroth. And I do not know what to do now; confront him with his falsehoods, or let him believe his words. Can we trust him? This is the second time he has tried to injure Aeris, and I will not allow him a third. But. Whatever happened in the meantime, he is a SOLDIER now. He has their strength; you only need to look in his eyes to see he has had the Mako treatment. We can't kill him, but nor can we leave such a dangerous potential weapon for Sephiroth. I think we've got to take him with us, and if we can we need to find out what happened to him. We need to know if we can trust him to help us defeat Sephiroth. He still has the Black Materia but Aeris said he cannot cast it yet; he needs the Promised Land. We cannot rest until he cannot cast Meteor."

"I am deeply ashamed I kept this all from you. I... was not sure I would be believed. How could my worries stand in the face of Cloud's certainty?"

"This is my truth of the events of five years ago, and there is still much we do not know. But defeating Sephiroth takes priority."


	16. A Moment in the Cold

"Aeris?"

"Mmm?"

"You know we need to have a fight at some point right?"

"Fight?"

Tifa squeezed the girl gently. "You sent me to sleep for a week, ran off to another continent, left every armament behind and almost got killed. I need to dissuade you from ever doing it again."

"Now?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Maybe not right now."

They lazed together beneath the warm blankets and watched their breath in the chill of the old house. The flower girl had gasped as they'd reached the snow earlier that day, entranced by the freezing substance. If she still felt residual worries or nerves from what had almost befallen her, she wasn't exhibiting them.

 

Tifa had said her piece back in the City, fretting nervously as the others digested the information. But they'd fulfilled the trust she - no, they'd put in them minutes before. They had two slightly differing versions of the same events, and could not certain whose to trust. She could offer no evidence of her version over Cloud's. But they concurred with the suggested course of action; they could not kill the former SOLDIER, but neither could they just leave him behind. Restraint was judged the best method, and while it did sting to do this to one of their own, could they take the risk again? The former SOLDIER's hands were tied multiple times. They had rope, but reinforced the binding with wire, fearful of the man's strength and Vincent now carried the huge weight of the Buster Sword across his back. What to do? Could you glibly tell a man you had journeyed with for so long that his version of a life-changing event was different from yours in such a pivotal way? That you did not disagree with what happened, but rather if he was there at all? They chose not to. Not yet.

Where was the other SOLDIER, Zack? Questions that had buzzed around her head for the last few months now infested her companions' thoughts. They could theorise, they could conjecture, but there were only two people who seemingly held the answers; Zack Fair and Sephiroth. And one of those they had vowed to track and defeat. Tifa found herself wondering as they walked; while Cloud had not been at Nibelheim, what had happened to him in the intervening years? How did he know any of the events of that time, and how had he wound up in Midgar? Why had he given Zack's version of events as his own?

It was some hours later when Cloud eventually came to. He refused to look at any of them; whatever influence Sephiroth was able to exert over him had never impaired his memory. He remembered it all and it hurt him; worse then the events at the Temple. He had no excuses, no reasons; he had lost control of his body and acted as a weapon. Sephiroth had wanted the Cetra dead, by his own hand or Cloud's. That strange nervous energy seemed to grip the blonde once more, that strange urge of his to always be moving, to always going... somewhere. Aeris had tried to console him, laying a steady hand on his forearm, insisting she held nothing against him. Tifa did not think she could ever be as truly forgiving as the flower girl, even with the knowledge of the controlling force of Sephiroth. He had fought off this influence once. It had been difficult, it had been painful, but it had been done. Her words did no good; the ex-SOLDIER avoided her gaze, ducking his head low and would only speak in a low monotone.

She swallowed her nerves, trying to act as she had before... feeling herself fall into her own mental trap. As she had before? Evasive and afraid that if she tried to pry into the faulty memories she would crack the exterior of Cloud Strife and destroy the last remnant of her childhood? No. She would have to try to forget those questions until they had answers. If Aeris could forgive him then so could she. He was wracked with guilt and now haunted it seemed. His eyes stared at some invisible figure beyond them, fear clouding his eyes and that name already on his lips before he could choke it back. 

They left the City behind them the next day, following the circling paths that bordered the hidden settlement heading North towards the high mountain range beyond. Cloud had only dozed fitfully the night before, the ever vigilant Vincent maintaining a close eye on him. He made no move to escape, no attempts to contact anyone, he just slumped miserably and Tifa began to wonder if she had been overly hasty in her assessment of his threat. She glanced at the bracelet that now adorned her wrist; the flower girl had only taken one set back from her, insisting she keep the other. No, she was simply being prudent... Or was she? Would she have been quite so insistent on binding his hands if he had attacked and then nearly killed another of their number? She desperately wanted to say yes.

 

They wandered North, relying on that ethereal connection between Sephiroth and Cloud. He was seeing something beyond the limits of their vision, something that always moved away and that he was compelled to pursue. A strange spiralling stair formed from the spines of a gigantic twisting shell carried them high above the valley that cradled the City and into a mountain pass. The temperature dropped rapidly as they walked; the Cetra city seemingly maintained at a pleasant ambient temperature by some magic or unseen technology; neither too cold nor too warm. The flower girl began to conjure spheres of heated air to keep them warm as they walked, the green materia flickering in her hand through-out the day. The extended magic use was taxing and she was always exhausted by night-fall; no one else was sufficiently confident to replicate the effect to share her burden. They resorted to more traditional heat-sources at night, burning flammable material they gathered while Aeris slept. After a few days snow began to fall; as much as it delighted Aeris they were ill-equipped and prepared for the cold climate, and a renewed sense of urgency gripped the party. As dusk approached, four days after leaving the City, they were relieved to see the distant lights of a settlement ahead; the cold climate resort of Icicle Inn.

It was somewhere between relief and distress that they learnt Sephiroth had been sighted in the town some hours before they arrived; Cloud's plagued visions had lead them correctly. What was the silver-haired man doing? Leading them into some kind of trap? The event was still the talk of the town when they arrived, and they heard the story from multiple perspectives in the wonderfully warm inn. The older inhabitants let slip some less then enthused opinions about Shinra, some remembering all too well the squad of troops who had descended on the town more then twenty years ago, headed by a scientist with long dark hair and glasses. They'd been sent to recover a husband and wife holed up in the town, but something had gone badly wrong; the husband, a scientist of some repute named Gast, had been killed. 

The name rang a bell in Tifa's mind, but before she could focus the speaker was interrupted; that story was Shinra crafted nonsense insisted an older resident of the area; that squad had been sent to recover them by force, and they had never truly intended to recover him; Gast's wife was the prize. The man looked guilty that he had not been able to help, only able to watch helplessly as the scientist gloated over the bloody mess he'd left in the man's home; his and baby daughter were escorted away by the armed infantry.

The man wondered what had happened to that pretty wife and her daughter even now, years later. The mother had been an exquisite beauty, and they were certain the daughter would have inherited her mother's captivating looks. What were their names again? It had been the talk of the town when she'd given birth; considered by most an inevitability of a young man and a young woman hiding away from the world, however much it might have been given the name of a scientific refuge. There were rumours that he'd quit something big before coming there, that he'd abandoned his entire life. No one was surprised that Gast had married his companion after the months they spent together. Ifalna; that was the wife's name, an unusual, exotic name. She was a Cetra. The man had smiled as he pronounced the unfamiliar term. And her newborn daughter had been named... Aerith? No, Aeris.

Tifa's head had snapped round when she heard the words; the Cetra had been staring open-mouthed at the speaker since he had first mentioned her mother's name. It could be coincidence. Of course it could. But the flower girl knew full well that Elmyra was not her true mother; she remembered with frustrating clarity sobbing over her dying mother on the Sector Five station. Her mother, whose name was Ifalna...

 

The abandoned house was a little way out from the rest of the settlement. The towns-people avoided it for the most part; bad memories of Shinra's actions still uppermost in their minds. No one really wanted to meddle with it; the troops who had visited the town seemed less interested in the building then its inhabitants. Who knew what it might still be able to relate? Borrowing thick coats Tifa and Aeris had waded urgently through the swirling snow to the house indicated. It was at least slightly warmer inside, and fortunately the interiors were not the ageing blood splattered mess that she'd feared. They stared around the main room, their breath visible in the chill air. Equipment lined the walls; video screens, computers, bare shelves that might have contained books and notes once. This was once a ramshackle, yet functional laboratory.

It surely could not still work... could it? Aeris pressed a power switch, the lights faded up grudgingly, throwing a dim yellow light on the room. Indicators flicked on in the equipment consoles, showers of sparks sprayed from holes now visible in the equipment accompanied by electrical snaps and fizzling. A flickering menu appeared on one of the screen, everything fuzzy and distorted, but still legible; a list of video entries. The flower girl selected the first and then every one that followed. 

She saw her father for the first time. 

She saw her mother once more.

She learned of her heritage.

She learned of the Crisis from the Sky; that which they knew as Jenova, the murderer of her people.

She learned of the Planet's last unused defence; WEAPON.

She saw herself, only weeks old.

 

Tifa glanced at the dozing Aeris again. It had been a lot to take in; she'd never expected to ever learn anything more of her parents - she'd been kept away from her mother before Ifalna's desperate attempt to flee the lab complex. But she'd seen both, recorded on old, corroded tape but still visible, accompanied by stranger details of her people's lost history spoken by her mother's own lips. The joy of rediscovery was tempered by the misfortune; she had never guessed that the leering, sinister Hojo was directly responsible for her father's death, nor that the entity Jenova, if it were one and the same, was both the calamity from the sky and the one most responsible for her people's eradication. 

She'd begged Tifa to let them stay the night here; to Aeris it was the end of a twenty-two year journey home, and while there was no one waiting for her here, she want to spend at least one night in what had been, however briefly, her home. How could the martial artist refuse her? She'd left the brunette re-watching the videos of her parents as she fought back through the worsening snow to retrieve their bags and inform the others that they'd be elsewhere that evening. The rest of Avalanche had been making preparations for the next stage of their journey; Sephiroth was heading North and the area ahead was increasingly less well charted. All descriptions of the land Northwards painted it as a foreboding, forgotten land of ice and cold, noteworthy solely for the gigantic circular cliff formation at the tip of the continent. Professor Gast had once been overheard theorising it could be the impact crater of a colliding celestial body. The words echoed in the martial artist's head with the account of Ifalna, the wounding of the Planet and the actions of the Cetra as they tried to heal the planet when that creature came to them.

She had a moment of panic when she arrived back; the house was still lit up, but there was no sign of Aeris. She called out, feeling silly at the panicked tone of her voice by how quickly her girlfriend responded. She was downstairs in the bedroom. She'd explored the rest of the house while she waited for Tifa's return and sat nestled in amongst the blankets on the bed. The martial artist smilingly asked if there was room for two.

 

"Aeris?"

"Mmm?"

"When you went to the Cetra City... what were you trying to do? I thought I saw you cast something...?"

Aeris was silent a moment, before sitting up in the bed, drawing the covers back up over her shoulders. She reached up to her hair and carefully undid the ribbon. "The Planet asked me to go to the city." Something bright, small and green was held between the pink cloth. Her hair fell in thick waves as her braid disintegrated. She held up her hand, a tiny sphere resting in the centre, its gentle light illuminating her hand. "I was casting this."

"Is this... materia?" Tifa had never seen one of the spheres so small, oddly echoing with the oversized Black Materia.

"This belonged to my Mother. It's one of the only things she was able to leave me."

"It's beautiful."

Aeris smiled. "It was prettier before I went to the city. I had always thought it useless; I knew what materia was, and I knew how to use it. But this one I could never figure out." She handed it carefully to Tifa. "I now know that it's the White Materia; the Black's opposite. It holds the spell to stop Meteor."

"This? This can stop Meteor?"

"It should." She sighed, "Something's wrong though. As you can see the spell is active, but the Planet is still screaming. As soon as Sephiroth casts Meteor this spell should destroy the falling planet. At least that's what I was told... But I don't think the spell is working. I'm worried that if he uses the Black Materia, my magic still won't work and everything I did will have been in vain. That's why we need to get the Black Materia back from Sephiroth."

Tifa cradled the sphere carefully. "We'll get it back. We have to." She smiled, "And I don't care what the Planet says in future or where it tells you to go, you don't get to go anywhere without me."

Aeris smiled back. "Agreed"

They lapsed into silence, which the raven-haired girl eventually broke. "Would you like me to re-braid your hair?"

"That'd be nice."

The martial artist slid back a little way, slipping her bare legs around the flower girl enjoying the warmth of her body where it rested against her own. She carefully twisted Aeris' beautiful hair together, before slipping the still glowing materia into braid and tightening the pink ribbon around it.


	17. A Moment at the Top of the World

They sat in the mouth of the cave and looked out into the falling snow, thankful at least for the shelter from the piercing winds. The rock was freezing beneath them and permanently coated in ice; the last few hours had been perilous as they'd clambered up what was known locally as 'Gaea's cliffs', only a minor part of the vastly larger crater wall. They'd set out at sun up three day previously, advised several times by the locals to travel by day rather then risk being caught out in the open at night; it would have been ill-advised around the resort but further North it was suicide.

Aeris' former delight at snow was sadly extinguished as they trudged away from Icicle Inn and the cold started to seep in through even their additional thermal clothing. They'd expended huge quantities of their meagre gil on ensuring they would be able to survive long enough to locate Sephiroth in the expanse of white ahead. Intermittent showers of snow, gradually increasing in duration and density fell upon them as the day wore on and they marched farther and farther North. Any traces of their quarry were obliterated; Sephiroth could be as close as an hour ahead and they would have never known.

Aeris mentioned a strange feeling that grew as they left Icicle Inn far behind and they began to make out the massive crater wall ahead. Miles from civilisation and Mako reactors, she'd expected to hear the Planet clearer then she ever had before but here it was quiet, muffled and felt further from her then even within Midgar. She suspected they were entering the region her mother had called the 'Knowlespole', where the Cetra had tried to help heal the Planet so long ago. It had been in this region that the Cetra had first encountered the creature they now knew as Jenova. The flower girl had shared some of the information on the tapes they'd found, including Ifalna's quiet recital of the lost Cetra history. The deeply personal, quiet and familial moments of Gast and Ifalna, the later glimpses of Aeris herself were moments the Cetra chose to keep to herself... and one very significant other.

Cloud had been the most startled at the mention of the origins of Jenova; especially when Ifalna had referred to the creature as a he. Even from what they'd seen in the Shinra building and from Cloud's version of events at Nibelheim, the preserved remains of the Crisis from the Skies had been unmistakably female. Sephiroth had referred to the seemingly never truly dead body as mother rather than as his father. Tifa noticed that Vincent would always start if Jenova was discussed as the silver-haired man's parent, but true to his nature he refused to be drawn into a explanation, finding an excuse to escape their company and vanish off for a while.

 

"A translation issue or something?" asked Yuffie squinting at the tiny figures on the screen. "She couldn't have been around at the time; this was, what did she say? Two thousand years ago?"

"Language wouldn't have changed that much," put in Tifa. "The Jenova they knew was apparently male."

"So what is that thing? A shapeshifter? Or one of those frogs that can switch sex?" mused Cid.

"Alien," said Cloud quietly. The martial artist nodded.

"In every sense of the word. It came from out there," she pointed towards the roof. "It sounds like the Cetra did too." She glanced at Aeris who nodded.

"Do I have yet another home...?" The Cetra add, looking wistful.

"Ya know, if I ever get up into space it'd be neat to go looking for 'em." The Cetra smiled at the pilot who still dreamed of interstellar travel.

Barret banged his hand against the wall. "This is all very fascinating, but 'fore we speculate about life on other planets and findin' it, we should make sure this one ain't going to die any-time soon. We need to get after Sephiroth."

"We've lost too much time today," sighed Nanaki. "We need to be ready at sun-up to ensure we have sufficient time to find somewhere to shelter for the nights."

"Agreed," Cid rubbed his chin. "We prep today and get moving in the morning."

"Any point in retrievin' the plane?" asked Barret. "It'd get us up there a hell of a lot quicker. Plus I reckon if Sephiroth ain't changed his clothes, he'll be pretty damn easy to spot against the snow."

Cid shook his head, "Nice idea, but it can barely keep itself out of the water; it'll tear itself to pieces if we tried that overland. Plus we'd lose two days just getting back to it - assuming I can get back through the forest on the other side. And that's also assuming that I can take enough fuel with me to get it round to the coast. On foot is the best we can manage for now."

 

The rest of the day had been full of work; obtaining better, warmer clothes to wear in the frigid climes ahead. They gathered food and poured over the scant and less then complete charts produced of the area. Aerial surveys had not been completed at this latitude and the only records were of the few fearless explorers who'd gone as far as the base of the crater wall. All had turned back rather then trying to achieve the summit, never entirely able to articulate why. They were always evasive on exactly what they encountered and what had driven them back towards the South. There was an atmosphere about the place; a distinct feeling that they were not welcome. A few mentioned strange and disturbing dreams that persisted even after they left the cliffs far behind them; not one would divulge the contents of those night-time visions. They would always journey South and never again venture as far North as they had once dared.

And yet here they were, braving the wind as it whipped hair frustratingly around their faces, buffeting against them and sapping the heat from their bodies. How pleasant it would be to just turn back, to give up and leave the icy wastelands to the silver-haired man. There had even been a hot spring back at the resort and it sounded great to Tifa right now; especially if she could share it alone with just Aeris... No. They had to do this; this was their mission...

She'd been startled at the realisation; she didn't have a job, a career, or a profession anymore. Her place of work and indeed her home was gone, buried under tonnes of steel and brick. She'd fled Midgar like the others, no longer feeling safe within the city and choosing to see the world with Aeris. Only now did she come to realise at the same time they'd given up the minutiae of everyday life, the expected daily grind of those no longer too young or too old. She was, perhaps, still fulfilling her more secretive profession, as an activist against Shinra, though that had grown in scope. Shinra was still a threat to the Planet, that was only too clear from the knowledge they'd gained in Cosmo Canyon and the flower girl's increased connection to the Planet. However they paled into insignificance next to the potential danger of the Black Materia, and the man who held it. 

They all wanted to keep the Planet alive, and they were now faced with a testament to the threat; the North Crater, a gigantic impact crater at the top of the world. Yuffie had been the first to voice the suspicion that had crept into their minds. Those vague words Aeris had spoken at the temple, the power of the spell that would draw gigantic asteroids from out of space and towards the surface of their own Planet; was a similar event to the one they sought to prevent responsible for this scar? Was this the wound the Cetra had tried to heal, the wound that Jenova had caused? Who had created the Black Materia and why? It was difficult to conceive that the Cetra could have crafted the destructive magic. Had the alien then brought it with... it?

Questions, always questions. That seemed to be a given in this situation, the truth so muddied or old that a clear answer escaped everyone. Cloud had been freed from his bonds during the climb, but carefully watched from above by the darting Vincent and Yuffie; neither seemed phased by the ice-coated rocks, and both made ideal scouts. They'd sighted the cave after following a tunnel network that threaded through the crater wall, working their way along narrow passages and eventually emerging high on the cliff wall. They weren't far now from crater rim, but night was falling fast and they judged it better to shelter rather then risk being caught on the exposed rock above.

 

They sat with their legs dangling perilously over nothing, the ground below invisible through the falling snow. Above them there was a suggestion of light from over the edges of the cliffs. It disappointingly obscured the stars Tifa had been sure would glow with a brilliance that would surpass even the sight at Cosmo Canyon. Avalanche was clustered in little pockets around the cave, each trying desperately to stay warm; they didn't dare risk a fire in the ice coated cave. Yuffie had tried to lean against Vincent for warmth but had given up almost immediately, muttering he was colder then the floor. She was now leaning against the slightly exasperated Nanaki while Vincent watched Cloud hawk-like; Barret and Cid dozed fitfully in the chill air.

"Tifa?" Aeris spoke in a low tone.

"Mmm?" the martial artist responded, her gaze still drawn by the falling snow. 

"I've been thinking about the future," she laid her hand on Tifa's

"The future?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about what I'm going to do when this is all over. I want something to work towards, something to look forward to for after Sephiroth is stopped, and the Shinra company is no more."

"You might be waiting a while," the raven-haired girl smiled.

"I know," Aeris grinned. "But I still want something to aim towards. And... I want it to include you. Do... do you mind?"

"Of course not!"

The flower girl continued, "I loved seeing the world these past months. Every day was something new, something fresh. It's only now I realise how claustrophobic and stifling Midgar really was. I love spending time with you. I loved spending time with all our friends, I love them all dearly. It seems kind of absurd to say this now, but I want to see the world all over again. But slower and calmer. And... just the two of us. Would you travel with me again, Tifa? When we've finished this, will come with me?"

Tifa turned so she could look into her girlfriend's eyes. "Just try and stop me." She leant forward and kissed her girlfriend softly, "I'm still going to try and get you that ride on the airship you know."

Aeris' smile was radiant. "And then we could take it anywhere. I can't think of a way I'd rather travel."

"There is somewhere we have to go first of all though," her girlfriend looked at her slyly.

"Oh?"

"You promised me! We have a date to go and see the flowers in your church!"

Realisation flashed across the flower girl's face. "Oh, Tifa," she drew the martial artist into her arms. "How could I forget?" Her hand touched the flower curled behind her ear. "I still owe you a new flower as well..."

"I'd like one from the church. If that's okay."

Aeris smiled warmly, "Of course."

They sat silently for a few more minutes, before Tifa reluctantly reminded Aeris that they should sleep, and the mouth of a cave above a sheer drop was ill-advised. They shuffled a bit further into the cave, opting to lean against one another next to Nanaki and Yuffie. With a last look at the falling snow, the martial artist fell into a deep slumber, for the moment putting aside any worries of what they would find the next day.


	18. A Moment in the Promised Land

They scrambled up the last stretch of rock at sun-up, hauling themselves over the painfully cold surface. Each was arrested by the sight that awaited them as they struggled at last onto the crater rim. The sun was only just peering over the opposite crater wall in the far distance, and in the sky overhead a rippling aurora of dancing green light hung beautifully, slowly fading to invisibility as the sun rose. Below them was a vast mist-filled bowl-like depression, vastly shallower then the cliffs they had climbed. A maelstrom of energy twisted and coiled in the centre, sprays of Mako blasting up through channels in the rock. The mass turned slowly, coiling the mist that extended out to the crater walls around it into an eternal spiral.

"A concentration of the planet's energy," breathed Nanaki, staring down at the rare sight of the Planet agonisingly repairing this wound. "This is just as Ifalna described."

Aeris nodded. "The planet is still trying to heal even after two thousand years. If he's here he could take that power and..." She trailed off, not needing to state what was on everyone's mind.

"Then we need to find him. Fast." Tifa was already striding forward, onto the frozen rocks that sloped down the interior wall. They released Cloud's bonds again as they made their way down the treacherous terrain. No one in the party had yet spotted any unusual behaviour from him or anything that might be a precursor to Sephiroth seizing control of him once more. Nevertheless his bonds were retied once the slope began flattening out and the ice melted away. As they had been moving down toward the crater floor the temperature had risen with surprising speed and they were soon sweating heavily. They paused in their descent as the temperature became unbearable and took the chance to discard their now redundant winter clothing.

"Wish the damn North would make up its mind about the weather," muttered Barret as he flung his coat aside, peering up at the falling snow high above them that never made it to the crater floor.

"Hope it's not one just extreme to the next," agreed Cid idly looking down the slope. He noticed something moving, "Hey what's that?" 

He pointed; there was someone ahead, or at least something humanoid. Something that looked like it was dressed in a black cloak... "Is that...?" murmured Yuffie.

"Whatever it is, it appears to be having some difficulty," observed Nanaki, eye fixed on the entity.

They hurried forward, the very ground beneath their feet now pleasantly warm after the intense cold. The cloaked figure was alarmingly familiar; the same shambling, stumbling, awkward gait they had glimpsed in Nibelheim. There was precious little to distinguish this one from others they'd encountered seeking solace in shadows and clustering around the Shinra mansion. The figure abruptly fell forward moments before Tifa reached it, Aeris only a moment behind her. As the flower girl crouched down it suddenly slurred, head rising in one final desperate movement.

"B-back... to... S-Sephiroth..."

It trailed off, falling forward and was still. Aeris was unable to stop her curiosity and gingerly extended her hand, first uncovering the figure's left hand and finding the numeral etched on this man as well. Then she threw back his hood; the dead man's hair was short, but the same shade of silver as Sephiroth's. His eyes were tinged with the familiar green glow around his pupils. His face had been twisted into some macabre delight even as his life had ended.

"Okay guys, this is getting creepy," Yuffie was shivering despite the increased warmth. "Why are they here?"

"They seem to be drawn to him." Aeris stood up, carefully replacing the hood, and drawing the sleeve back down to cover the body. "There's some connection between him and those black-cloaked figures. And... I'm so sorry, but Cloud... you seem to have a similar connection." She tilted her head to one side. "How do you feel at the moment?"

He seemed bewildered and alarmed by the question. "F-Fine. I'm fine." He scowled, "I'm nothing like them." The raven-haired girl watched his reactions, unsure of whether she was comforted or worried; she had expected him to be inexorably plodding onward towards their quarry or straining desperately against his bonds to complete the objective interrupted back in the City. But here he seemed calm; just as he had been when they were travelling far between settlements.

 

They eventually reached the crater floor, stepping into the waist deep mist that hung above it. Sharp stalagmites of a crystalline substance jutted up at random intervals ahead; the points all facing inward towards the twisting mass at the centre. With a shock Tifa realised they were formed from crystallised Mako; they were enormous shards of natural materia. The wonders of the Promised Land she mused... Now they could see the mist was being drawn up higher as it approached the centre, forming a series of drifting mist walls that spiralled inwards.

A distant roar began building behind them, slowly growing in volume. Cid looked startled as he heard it, turning towards the source in amazement. "That's-" he broke off as the airship they'd seen at Junon cleared the crater wall and sailed overhead. 

"The airship!" cried Aeris her eyes gleaming with delight.

"The Highwind!" snapped the pilot in response. "Dammit, Rufus, why'd ya have to bring my ship all the way up here?" he muttered.

"That's your ship?" Tifa looked amazed.

"Damn right. Took years to complete, and then Shinra just swooped down and took it from me." The ship sailed on gracefully, Cid tracking it with envious eyes. "Good to see her flying again at least."

Tifa found herself once more contemplating stealing the vessel, or should that be liberating and returning to it's rightful owner? It really would be wonderful to give Aeris that chance to experience flight. They could use it to go anywhere... She glanced over to her girlfriend and was surprised to see the normally bright expression of the flower girl had darkened, despite her joy at the airship.

"So... Shinra has found their 'Promised Land.'"

"I'm sorry." Tifa slipped an arm around her waist. The Cetra smiled grimly back.

"It's okay. It's not what they were looking for though..." She gestured to the centre, "It's true there's a lot of Mako here, but they'll never be able to build a reactor or anything else on this land. This is the Planet's wound, it's most vulnerable point. Shinra has caused pain elsewhere and escaped retribution so far, but to do it here..."

"No reason why we should let them try though," put in Barret. Aeris smiled. 

"Can... you hear the Planet again?" Tifa asked quietly.

The flower girl shook her head. "No. I think the pain is still too great here."

"Look."

The martial artist started; it was the first time Cloud had initiated a conversation since the City. He nodded ahead of them. Through a wall of mist they could just about make out a line of figures, stumbling along a thin path of rock that vanished into another mist wall. A trail of figures in black cloaks... 

"Is that all of them?" asked Yuffie, peering at the line.

"Looks like it," murmured Nanaki.

"He must be close," breathed Aeris.

 

As ill and wracked with agonised suffering as the cloaked figures had previously seemed they were much worse now. As Avalanche neared, the stragglers they began stumbling more, eventually collapsing and lying still. They found more silver-haired, pale, hunger ravaged bodies, each with a numeral tattooed on their hand and strange unfamiliar faces beneath the hoods.

A mist wall shifted and Tifa caught sight of Sephiroth ahead of them. All those strange unfamiliar faces; she realised they looked like him. The general stood imposing in amongst the eddying mist, the final two figures kneeling before him, wheezing and shaking in the green light. He hadn't spotted them yet; Avalanche drew and readied weapons as Tifa watched with horrified fascination and a sympathetic stab of pain along her scar as the silver-haired man drew the Masamune from his back.

The blade flashed in the green glow, cutting and slashing at the kneeling figures, flicking sprays of blood onto the rocks around him. The bodies slumped, falling awkwardly from the rock path and into the drifting mists below. "Sephiroth!" She'd gotten a handle on her fear; she could not let him frighten her anymore. Now she was angry. Angry for Nibelheim, angry for her father, angry for Cloud, and angry most of all for his attempt on Aeris' life.

Sephiroth didn't turn, didn't even glance at them. His form reduced to a shadow; every part of him faded to an absolute black that evaporated into the air. Cloud collapsed to his knees beside her, clenching his teeth, his eyes shut tightly as the silver-haired man dropped from some impossible perch above them to land near silently in the space they had watched him vanish from. He smirked at the party as with horrible familiarity his body began to twist and change; legs merging together and his arms splitting into writhing tentacles. He was no longer a man, now a crumpled shell animated by something... alien.

"Jus' like on the ship!" growled Barret. This time was different; even as the creature lashed out and lunged for them, there was little force behind the blows. The group worked fast, cutting limbs from the body and immolating each as they dropped to the ground. The martial artist wondered if they were simply better prepared for this encounter; their number had grown since their first encounter even with the loss of Cait Sith. Foul smoke and horrible stenches billowed up into the misty-air as the remains of the creature crumbled into ash.

Something caught Yuffie's eye as she approached the dismembered torso of the creature to incinerate it. "Is that...?" She stooped peering into the crumbling remains of the creature as her eyes widened. She paused for a moment, her face a picture of disgust, before reaching in and gingerly withdrawing the over-sized materia orb seated in amongst the remnants of organs. "The Black Materia," she breathed holding it up. Cloud began muttering as it came into view.

"Jenova... cells. The reunion. That... wasn't Sephiroth." His pain seemed to have passed but he still swayed, his eyes distant.

"The hell you talkin' 'bout Cloud?" demanded Barret.

"...never...been Sephiroth. But... still here. Still wants the Black Materia."

Yuffie was turning the sphere over in her hands, looking intently into its unbroken and unmarked surface. "It doesn't look like the spell has been triggered. Can he still not use it?"

"I don't know." Aeris regarded the orb in the girl's hands with fear. "We still know so little about it."

Tifa hugged her. "But we have it back now; as long as we have it, he can't summon Meteor."

"You're right. We need to get it away from here as soon as possible."

The martial artist nodded and after a moment's thought spoke, "Yuffie? Can you find your way back okay?"

The other girl looked at her in surprise. "You're trusting me with this thing?"

"I am." The raven-haired girl smiled. "I want you to get back out of the crater and to our last camp. If you see anyone but us approaching, make a run for it. We'll catch up to you as soon as we've finished things here."

"O-okay." The ninja slipped the materia into her pouch. "You guys better not keep me waiting then!" And with that she was sprinting away, nimbly running and jumping back down the rocky path and away from them.

"Can't believe you put her in charge of that," muttered Barret.

"I think it was an excellent choice actually," remarked Aeris.

"Oh?" Cid raised an eyebrow. She responded with a smile.

"Out of everyone here, who would you have said was least likely to let anyone part them from materia?" She grinned. Cid's face also broke into a smile while Barret shook his head muttering.

"Very apt." Nanaki made that curious almost laughing noise again.

The martial artist glanced ahead to the brightening core of the crater. "Unfortunately, we've still got a job to do. One last push and it'll be over."


	19. A Moment of Despair

The wind picked up as they walked single-file along a tendril of rock that lead towards the crater centre. Something akin to lightning now sparked through the air, the wind howled around them carrying with it the sounds of cracking and splitting rock. Tifa gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowed against the billowing wind. Hopefully there would be a calm centre to this storm; if they ran into Sephiroth now they were as good as dead. There was no way to retreat or dodge an attack, especially given he didn't seem restricted by gravity. She stepped forward, turning to check that Aeris was still behind her, and looked ahead again... into white. Everything was gone; the tugging wind, the green gloom of the crater floor, the rock beneath her feet... What had happened?

"Hello?" she ventured.

"Tifa!" It was Aeris.

"The hell are we?" That had to be Barret.

"I don't know," murmured Tifa.

"...Sephiroth," a voice drawled.

"Cloud? Are you okay?" Cid sounded worried.

"He's... close. Could... do... anything."

Tifa shivered. She'd heard him speak like this a few times; it bore a worrying similarity to the state she'd found him in on the streets of Midgar. Something seemed to impact on the soles of her feet; it took her a few moments to realise she was now standing on solid ground again, a few exclamations from around her indicated it had taken the others by just as much surprise. Now there was noise, a gentle wind blowing, the sounds of the country. A strangely familiar smell now flooded the air around her and there... Yes! There was the sensation of her body again. What was happening?

The white faded and she gasped. They were stood as they had been just before they'd lost track of everything, their group in a twisted line marking the shape of a rock bridge that apparently no longer existed. She realised she was trying to concentrate on detail to avoid processing what she could now see before her. They stood at the entrance to the small mountain town of Nibelheim. Had they somehow been transported all the way here?

She breathed the town's name as Cloud shuddered. "What does he mean by showing us this illusion?" he demanded.

Cid ran a curious hand along the fence. "Awfully solid illusion."

"He's trying to confuse us," insisted the blonde SOLDIER. There was a rising anger in his voice, and his monotone was gone. Tifa turned to say something and stopped, her eyes widening at what she saw. Aeris caught her expression and followed her gaze. 

"Zack," she murmured.

Four figures approached them; the striding, silver-haired Sephiroth, a shorter SOLDIER similar in height and build to Cloud with jet black hair and two Shinra infantrymen. Cloud's eyes narrowed as they approached. The group ignored them, the general stepped past them as if they weren't even there.

"It really is him," Aeris was staring at the black-haired SOLDIER, a cross shaped scar visible on his cheek. Tifa gripped her hand. 

"It is." She whipped her head back towards the town and caught a fleeting movement; a younger girl, dark haired and wearing a cowboy hat darting away from the town entrance and into a side-street. "This is... the past?" She cast around, her gaze falling onto Sephiroth. "Don't do this."

The trio accompanying the general halted mid-movement as the silver-haired man began chuckling. The noise set her teeth on edge, and thankfully cut off suddenly. The quartet vanished.

"This is ridiculous," muttered the former SOLDIER. Sensation was ripped away from them all again, again slowly and incrementally returned. The smell filled her with fear as her ears recognised the all too familiar sounds from her nightmares. With a wave of heat they found themselves stood further inside Nibelheim amidst the burning buildings. The martial artist gripped Aeris' hand tighter as the flames whirled around them. If things continued; the worst moment of her life was imminent.

"Why is he doing this?" Cloud looked at the door of the Shinra mansion visible through the smoke and flame. "I'm not going to come out of that door am I?" He raised his voice. "What is this? Are you trying to drive us apart with these illusions? They may have restrained me, but that's because of what you made me do!"

Zack emerged from the mansion doorway, eyes widening in disbelief at the carnage outside. Zangan yelled at him to help, but the black-haired man demanded to know Sephiroth's whereabouts. With a curse the martial arts teacher gestured to the path that lead up to the reactor. The SOLDIER nodded and began sprinting after the general.

"Cloud..." Tifa was nervous at the look on Cloud's face. "It's okay, I-"

"You want them to believe I was never here don't you?"

"Nice to hear that you can admit that." Sephiroth stood, staring at the furious Cloud. "Now you understand the problem." The raven-haired girl moved quickly, placing herself between the silver-haired man and her girlfriend, but he ignored them both. The blonde man took a step towards the general.

"I don't understand what you're doing. I know all of this is untrue. I remember the fire, the smoke and the sorrow. This isn't going to affect me. And it won't affect them."

The silver-haired man sneered, his face twisting with the expression. "Puppet... you cannot feel pain." He spat the last word. "There is no meaning in your memories. This," he gestured at the burning town, "Everything I show you, this is truth. This is my memory, my last moments on the surface of this world. Your precious memories are the illusion."

"What are you talking about?"

"Cloud..." Tifa needed to stop this. Cloud had to know the truth, eventually. But not like this, not with so many questions, and not from this man.

"I want you to recall what you really are; a puppet who would willingly hand me the most destructive magic ever conceived. Who would attack a cherished companion." His gaze flicked to Aeris. "Who would attempt to kill, on command, a dear childhood friend." His eyes settled again on Tifa and he chuckled, the sound grotesque emanating from this man, in this place. "My puppet; Hojo never recognised your true potential."

"Hojo?" The name still set the flower girl on edge; she couldn't help it. Imprisoned for any length of time in his lab was too long. Cloud spoke the name as well. "How is he relevant?"

"He is your maker. He constructed you piece by piece in the aftermath of my... disappearance and this town's destruction. Constructed you from Jenova cells... Constructed a copy of me..."

"Cloud don't listen to him. You weren't made five years ago, I've known you since I was born!" Tifa tried desperately to approach the former SOLDIER, but her feet wouldn't move; some unseen pressure prevented her from moving. "Remember the promise on the water-tower!"

"Oh, Miss Lockhart. Why are you so afraid of my words? You remember the truth only too well, don't you?" Sephiroth's eyes flicked to Tifa, his smile widening slightly. He knew! He knew she remembered the difference. And he knew she'd never admitted the contradictions to him. 

"Tifa?" Cloud looked worriedly at her. She hung her head. There had never been a good time to discuss the situation with him, no occasion suited to mitigate the effects of this truth. She'd wanted desperately to be able to fill in those missing periods of time, to try and understand how the memory mismatch occurred before talking to him.

"...is he right?" He looked weak and pale in the dancing fire-light. "No, he's trying to trick me. Don't be scared. If we know he's lying, then there's nothing to worry about." He glanced at the others. No one looked comfortable and no one would meet his gaze. "I'll never believe that man..." His conviction was waning, he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more then them. He trailed off, a new thought rising up from deep within him. "I... I... Sometimes I'm not sure who I am."

The admission was startling. "Cloud?" Barret sounded nervous. The blonde man shook his head.

"Some of my memories; they're not clear. But I remember well enough that this is my home, and my mother died this night."

Sephiroth had been watching the exchange with interest. "Jenova grants the ability to alter one's looks and voice..." He spoke almost casually and then smiled once more.

A sinking feeling settled into Tifa's stomach. "Tifa..." murmured Aeris.

"Those Jenova cells... they crafted you a memory from... certain external sources. They made you seem complete, they made you think you were real. You took your name from another. Now, remember!"

"Shut up!" Cloud growled at the silver-haired man, who delighted in the reactions he obtained by insinuation. The others could only look on nervously, like Tifa, now wondering at the identity of the ex-SOLDIER in their midst.

"Shall I prove it then?" Sephiroth strode to the fallen body of the photographer. He lay broken nearby, a look of anguish on his face. "You remember the photo, don't you? The proof of my visit to this town, a souvenir of the event. Ah, I see Miss Lockhart remembers." His eyes had locked with hers as she felt her certainty of the past reinforce itself. She remembered the picture; she'd posed with Zack and Sephiroth at one time looking forward to seeing it after it had been developed. After the fire she was glad to have missed it, not wanting to ever be reminded of those events or what lead to them. 

Sephiroth stooped and tugged something from the man's hand; his name lost to Tifa. Why couldn't she remember his name? The SOLDIER looked appreciatively at the photo he held. "Would you like to see... Cloud? It's a good picture."

"C-Cloud. Don't look at it." The heat and smoke were getting to her. She was trapped inside her nightmare, and could do nothing but watch as this madman deconstructed Cloud right in front of her. There wasn't even one thing she could say to help her friend.

"I should be in the picture." The blonder SOLDIER murmured and walk forward to to see the small square the man in black held out in front of him. "And even if I'm not, what does another lie inside this illusion prove?" He looked down, staring at the image. Tifa knew full well it did not include him.

"You need to do better Sephiroth. I don't doubt my own memories. I was here five years ago. I saw my mother. She was so proud I'd made it into SOLDIER. That I was a first class SOLDIER..." He trailed off frowning, and began trembling. "When... when did I enrol in SOLDIER? When did I complete it? It's... it was... no... why... why can't I remember?"

"Cloud." The name came from all their lips. Sephiroth was gone. Cloud shook his head. "It's... I'm okay. I know now."

Reality was ripped away once more.

 

Yuffie panted; she'd been running for longer then she'd expected. She'd been tracing a route as straight back as she'd been able, heading for an outcrop on the crater wall she recognised. She'd stopped nervously periodically, the atmosphere of the seemingly empty crater was unnerving. It was too quiet. She glanced back to the maelstrom at the centre and hoped everyone was still okay.

Minutes later the mist rose and enveloped her. She lost her bearings and made the critical mistake of turning a full circle to see if she could pick any long range details out. There was a vague shape to her left, and it was with some relief she saw that it was a stalagmite. She remembered full well that the points faced in towards the centre of the crater and so ran in the opposite direction, moving deftly between the just visible structures jutting up from the ground.

 

"...get back to the airship now." A familiar voice was saying as solid ground slammed into her feet again. Another voice called out in alarm a second later.

"Where did you come from?"

Tifa shook her head trying to clear her vision faster. The rock below her... wasn't rock. She stared at it, slowly realising how familiar the veined substance was; materia. They were standing in a cave; the walls like the floor were formed from crystallised Mako, and overhead a lattice work of a darker substance held something large high above them. She realised that there were more people present then her just companions; three people she had never had any desire to ever see again, Scarlet, Rufus Shinra and Hojo. The scientist chuckled at their bewilderment.

"You should all leave this place." Cloud spoke; his earlier anger was absent now and he was toneless. "Reunion... will conclude here."

The martial artist tried to speak, but no sound came from her throat. She tried to move, but her body would not respond; she could see her companions struggling in the same way. Abruptly she heard the sound of running, and then Yuffie hurtled around the corner of the sole passage-way into the cavern. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene and she stumbled to a halt, her feet slipping on the smooth crystalline ground and she crashed backwards to the ground. 

"What?" She looked horrified. "No, no, no. I was nearly out!"

"Yuffie," Cloud's voice was different again, softer, seductive, charming. He walked to the scrabbling ninja who looked up at him guiltily. 

"I tried to take it away. I did! I... I don't know what happened."

"It's okay Yuffie." She couldn't tear his eyes away from his. He knelt beside her and reached a hand to her cheek. She tensed a moment and then relaxed. 

"Cloud..."

"It's okay Yuffie. You did the right thing."

"But..."

"Shhhh." He reached his other to the ninja's and laced his fingers with hers. "You still have it?"

"Yes," she gasped.

He stroked a finger along her jaw-line, her eyes fluttering and closing as he did. His fingers trailing down from her face, stroking down her neck, across her chest and stomach until they reached her belt. The ninja let out a moan and arched her body towards him, her face flushed. His lingering fingers slid along her abdomen to the pouch that contained all her favourite materia, deftly loosening the drawstring and extracting the Black Materia.

"Thank you, Yuffie." His voice had shifted abruptly once more, losing all emotion as he pulled his hand from her grasp. Yuffie's eyes sprang open. He looked at her with dead eyes and then straightened up. Embarrassment and fear collided in the ninja. She lunged for the materia, but found her movement arrested and she crashed down onto the materia floor immobile. Cloud regarded the near motionless audience watching his every move.

"I'm sorry." His voice was changed again; it sounded like Cloud before the Cetra city. It sounded like the boy from Nibelheim. "Thank you for everything Tifa. Even if you never felt the way about me I do about you. I'm sorry I could never keep that promise. I hope you can meet the real Cloud one day."

Hojo was chuckling. "Such obnoxious sentimentality." He shook his head. "But you have proven the reunion theory, demonstrated at last that even if Jenova's body is split, it will eventually recombine, no matter how far apart the cells are or how long it will take. You were drawn here, weren't you... number... Wait, where is your tattoo?"

"You never gave me one. You said I was a failure." The blonde man spoke mechanically.

"That failure? You were the only one who managed to reach this place?" He looked furious.

Cloud's body went limp and he floated up into the air. He pivoted, turning head over heels and fell upwards towards the lattice structure above them.

"Who... what is he?" Rufus was staring up at the figure above them.

Hojo pushed his glasses up his nose as he regarded the president. "A Sephiroth clone. One of many I created after we lost the original; I used Jenova cells and Mako to keep him alive. That he was still breathing when I obtained him is a testament to his own strengths as a specimen. A very interesting test-case." He glanced up at Cloud, now standing inverted on the lattice. "I had hoped reunion would happen in Midgar. Sephiroth had other plans; he manipulated the clones himself and drew them here. To him."

"Sephiroth? The real Sephiroth is here?" Tifa blurted, covering her mouth with her hands, unaware she could speak once more.

The cave rumbled, throwing Scarlet off her feet and the lattice splintered, uncovering the dense object at the centre. It fell slightly and then caught on the tendrils. A massive shard of green materia and within it, a body with long silver hair. He looked as if he was just sleeping, but his lower body was missing, seemingly severed at his waist. Hojo cackled as Tifa stared up at the man she'd seen so many times now - or thought she had. Was all that she'd seen been simply echoes of this man frozen in materia? This then was truly the man who had killed her father and so nearly killed her. "He survived the Lifestream, he did not merge with it."

"He's going to deliver the Black Materia to Sephiroth," Aeris spoke in a strangled tone. "We have to stop him."

The martial artist realised with a sinking heart that it might not be possible to keep the materia from Sephiroth without injury. "Vincent? Can you hit him from here?"

The pale man took aim and fired rapidly. The bullets stopped in mid-air behind Cloud as the ex-SOLDIER extended the Black Materia towards the body of Sephiroth. Cid sent a bolt of electricity arcing upwards but to no avail; a pulse flickered over the dark materia, and the surface began to glow faintly purple. The substance around the silver-haired body separated as if it were water, and Cloud pushed the materia inside.

"No..." moaned the flower girl as she sank to the ground. Tifa rushed to her as the ground began shaking. Cracks began to run the length of the cavern, the lattice over head breaking apart, fragments dropping and smashing into the ground. The others began backing or running from the cave as the rumbling increased.

"Aeris! We've got to get out of here." She grabbed her partner's hand and pulled her to her feet. The Cetra shook her head and flashed her girlfriend a tight smile before they ran after the others.

"Head for the Highwind," yelled Cid as the cracking and splintering behind them reached a crescendo. They ran, feet scrambling and slipping as they moved towards the airship. Seconds after Hojo's foot hit the gang-plank, the ground vanished beneath them; the whole crater was dropping and breaking apart. A surge of energy erupted from the epicentre, an expanding column of green that reached as high as they could see. The Highwind turned frustratingly slowly as it banked to fly away from the surge of energy. The various members of Avalanche gripped grimly to the hand-rails, the martial artist wishing that this had not been how she would get Aeris on-board the Highwind. The flower girl had dropped into a crouch, her hands clasped to her head. Her eyes were closed and her teeth gritted.

"Aeris?" Tifa put one hand onto her shoulder, the other maintaining a tight grip on the rail.

"The noise," came the croaked response. "I... I can hear the Planet again. It... it's in pain. It... it hurts." A new wave of pain swept through her causing a choking scream to burst from her lips. She fell backward, landing face up on the deck, eyes staring upward blindly, her chest heaving. Then came the noises from the crater.

Inhuman, almost mechanical, screeching roars echoed up out of the cavernous pit that was forming from the collapsing crater floor. Figures pulled themselves up and out of the cavern in which they had slumbered, clawing through loose rock and shards of materia. They rose like elder gods from the depths of the earth.

"Weapons," breathed the Cetra, eyes still unfocused.

"Weapons?" yelled Barret. "I thought there was supposed to just be one?!" Three gigantic metallic figures had drawn themselves up from the crater. The Highwind was still accelerating, heading away from the Planet's wound. The Weapons paused for a moment before accelerating away out of sight; they counted five gigantic entities exiting the crater, two more rising from within the rocky cavity. Then they were gone. Tifa dropped down next to Aeris, gently calling her name until the Cetra blinked. She reached up and clung to her partner.


	20. A Moment of an Unexpected Reunion

The roaring air around them quietened as the Highwind's engines slowed; they were well away from the glowing crater now, and the Weapons were out of sight. Far below Tifa could make out the snow fields that surrounded the crater, and in the distance, the structures that made up Icicle Inn. The Highwind veered then, straying well away from a cluster of mountain peaks ahead of them near the southern tip of the continent. The Cetra city. Did Shinra know it was there? It seemed remarkable that the City could be considered lost given its close proximity to Icicle Inn... but then she did not doubt that no member of Shinra had even once set foot in that place.

"Man, its good to be in the air and flying with her again." Cid ignored the view around them, instead staring up at the airship above them. "'course, can't help but wish I was the one flying her."

"Then let's take her back." The pilot turned, looking questioningly at the flower girl. Her face still pale and her voice still cracked, but she was beginning to brighten again as the deafening roar of the Planet subsided.

"What?"

"Let's take her back from the Shinra!"

"Are you crazy?" Barret retorted. "We just lost Cloud, Sephiroth's just used that damned materia, and you suggest we hijack this airship? With the Shinra top... brass... on it?" He trailed off, his eyes suddenly alive with possibility.

"Sephiroth has summoned Meteor, and the spell from the White Materia hasn't counter-acted it yet. We need to find some answers, and we can do that much easier with this airship then on foot."

Barret grinned. "Plus having Shinra as a bargaining chip..."

There was a click as Vincent snapped his gun closed. "I concur. I have unfinished business with Hojo."

Tifa looked questioningly at the former Turk, but he did not elaborate. Now was not the time. "We'll take the ship."

It would only be later on reflection that the raven-haired girl realised how easily she'd slid into a leadership role once Cloud could not be trusted, how willingly the others followed her commands and worked towards their common goal. Why was that surprising? Surely the saving of the planet should be an objective that they would all work towards regardless? "We need to move now before they decide what to do with us. They've left us alone so far as there's nowhere for us to run." She glanced at the queasy looking ninja, braced awkwardly against the guard rail. "Yuffie... wait here." She nodded, looking relieved she wouldn't be required to move very far just yet.

"Cid? Where do we head to, where are people likely to be?"

The pilot rubbed his chin. "Knowing Rufus he'll likely be on the bridge; he likes to see his minions dance. The rest I'm not sure about. There's cabins and a conference room just through here. After that its basically a direct line to the bridge. Not a lot of hidey holes." He grinned.

"I shouldn't need to ask if you can fly her when we've got control, should I?"

"Hell, I'd pay you to let me fly her again."

She thought for a moment. "Cid, Vincent and Nanaki, you head for the bridge and get us control of the ship. Barret, Aeris and I will make sure the conference room and the cabins are clear." With sloppy salutes, nods and murmurs of confirmation, the party readied themselves. They slipped inside the Highwind, the whistling wind of the deck replaced by the mechanical hum of the Highwind's engines. Stealth wouldn't be an issue, but they could not be sure if there was anyone else nearby. The group split in the large hold of the vessel, one trio creeping along a gantry towards the front of the ship and the bridge, the other quickly darting into an overhang beside the conference room door. Aeris pressed her head up against the door and closed her eyes. She drew back and shook her head; she couldn't hear anything, but...

Barret kicked the door and it flung open causing a man in a dark blue suit looked up in surprise, his eyes and mouth opening wide. Barret aimed his gun arm at the man, while Tifa and Aeris re-closed the door part-way, the Cetra keeping watch.

"We're taking this ship," growled Barret. "You're our prisoner now."

The man had raised his hands automatically and now spoke with a slight tremor in his voice. "I surrender!"

Tifa frowned; that voice was maddeningly familiar. She'd heard it somewhere... recently. She looked at the man, who was doing his best not to meet her or Barret's gaze. 

"Have... we met?" She finally asked, trying to place the face.

"N-no," he stuttered.

"Reeve?" Aeris asked suddenly, turning to look at the man with interest. He looked right at her, fumbling for an answer before nodding. She smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you, Reeve Tuesti..."

"You know him?" The martial artist was still trying to place him. A Shinra employee perhaps? Has Aeris met this man during her years of captivity with her mother. But then would she smile like that? Something almost clicked into place, an older memory of a meeting they'd overheard, a wary and concerned voice in a sea of apathy and greed. She was on the brink of recalling something when her partner spoke again.

"Sort of." She turned to smile at her girlfriend. "So do you. Doesn't she... Cait Sith?"

Tifa whipped her gaze back to Reeve who struggled not to smile, his face creasing as he flushed. He gave up and sighed, smiling embarassedly. "Guess you got me." Cait Sith's voice came out of the man's mouth. Barret stared at him incredulously.

"You tha' treacherous cat?!" He let his gun-arm drop to his side, but brought his fist up instead. "You the one that kidnapped Marlene?!" Reeve looked petrified. 

"I-I'm sorry about that Barret."

"Mr. Wallace to yo,'" growled Barret.

"Mr. Wallace," Reeve hastily corrected himself and swallowed. "She's safe! I swear she's safe! Like I said, she's in a house in Kalm with Mrs. Gainsborough. Just like I told you in the Temple."

Barret paused, and Tifa hurried over to lay a restraining hand on his arm. "It's okay Barret. Even if he was a spy and whatever he did before, he did help us."

"Yeah, yeah he did. And then jus' made it easier for Sephiroth to take that damned materia!" He was shouting again, but this time Reeve frowned. 

"Should I not solved the puzzle then? Should I have stayed with the rest of you, guarding that Temple for the rest of our lives to ensure that Sephiroth could never get inside and solve it?" He sighed. "I know I betrayed you before and I can't blame you for not trusting me now. But I sacrificed Cait Sith at the Temple to stop Sephiroth. I didn't want to - Cait took me years to construct and I wanted to keep travelling with you all. Back here all I got was trouble. Rufus was furious at me for destroying the only way they had of keeping tabs on you." He looked at each of them in turn, "No more tricks, no more lies, no more gimmicks. I'm on your side."

"But you've lied before," Aeris pointed out. He nodded.

"And I'm going to have to earn your trust. I don't expect you to just trust me."

"You are one hell of a double agent, aren't you?" Tifa smiled. "We are unfortunately going to need to restrain you for now. Still need to work to earn our trust I'm afraid, Mr. Tuesti."

"Call me Reeve, please. Or Cait if you like."

"I think we'll stick with Reeve." She winked at him and he smiled.

"Did you all make it out of the Temple? The rescue team got to Tseng in time and patched him up... Did you all get here okay...?" He trailed off as he saw Tifa's face fall.

"A lot's... happened since the Temple. We'll fill you in on the details soon, I promise. But Sephiroth was able to use the Black Materia. And we... we... lost Cloud in the crater."

Reeve's eyes widened in shock at both implications of her words. He tried to say something, anything, but gave up. The raven-haired girl was silent for a moment before Aeris stepped from the door to lay a comforting hand on her back. "It's... it's okay." She held up a length of rope. "This might not be the way to be introduced, but it's good to finally meet you Reeve. We're going to need all the help we can get from now on."

 

The cabins fortunately proved empty; tumbled belongings were spread around in each from Highwind's frantic escape. They guessed that Hojo's was the one that appeared to have been struck by a paper blizzard, and Scarlet's was the one with the choking miasma of perfume. With the rear of the craft secure they coaxed Yuffie inside and out of the the frigid air. The quartet made their way forward to the bridge and found Cid at the wheel, looking the happiest Tifa had ever seen him, a nervous crewman looking over his shoulder as he banked the craft gracefully. They were now skimming high above the gloriously blue ocean, Nanaki engaged in a heated exchange with Vincent as they kept an eye on their prisoners; Rufus Shinra, Hojo, Scarlet and Heidegger.

"I see the other specimen made it." Hojo seemed unfazed by his restraints and regarded Aeris with his uncomfortable scrutiny. She shivered and tried to ignore him. Cid handed control of the airship to the crewman behind him and turned to greet the new arrivals.

"Ladies and Gentleman, it gives me great pleasure to officially welcome you aboard the Highwind."

Tifa smiled. "Thank you, captain."

Aeris dashed to the front of the ship and gazed out at the water speeding beneath them. "This is fantastic!"

Nanaki sighed. "I hate to be the one to bring us back to reality, but what are we going to do now?"

"You," Rufus glared at Nanaki and then swept his gaze taking them all in, "Are going to let us go and return the airship to our control. This is hijacking and kidnap, and the Shinra company will tolerate neither from you terrorists. You are all still wanted in connection with the destruction of two Mako reactors."

The flower girl turned and lent back against the railing. "And you'd never stoop to those kinds of acts yourself would you?"

"Miss, I do not like the insinuation in your tone. I have a company to run, and the last thing I need to do is be associated with your group's overreaction to environmental concerns."

"Environmental concerns?" yelled Barret. "Your company is sucking the life out of the Planet!"

Hojo smirked. "A hypothesis which has not been proven by any of the audits or research carried out on the Mako reactors."

"Were these auditors by chance on the payroll of the Shinra Electric Company?" Tifa gazed levelly at the scientist.

"He doesn't have to answer that. None of us need to answer any of your questions." Rufus held her gaze.

"You're right." Aeris straightened and walked towards the group. "But I think it might be in your best interests."

"I can't possibly imagine why." The comment seemed to amuse Hojo and he began laughing, unnerving Rufus who looked questioningly at the scientist.

"Because," continued the Cetra, "Sephiroth has summoned Meteor. He intends it to collide with the Planet, destroying it and everyone on it." Rufus turned slowly to meet her eyes. "As far as I'm aware the space program has not exactly been a rousing success and as such if the planet dies, you too will die; there's no escape. You are free to bury your head in the sand if you wish but I promise you, as the last of my race, that the end is coming."


	21. A Moment When the End of the World is Visible

A Moment When the End of the World is Visible

Aeris noticed a new star in the heavens as the sun set that evening. It was little more then a pin-prick of red light in amongst the other stars, but the sight chilled her. It faded from the sky as the sun rose the next morning, but as night fell that evening the star appeared again. She caught sight of it earlier this time and it was noticeably larger now, dwarfing its neighbours. It was Meteor, the Cetra informed them tonelessly, Tifa holding her hand as she confirmed their worst suspicions. The falling star was still visible the next day, now visible during the day. Barret and Vincent escorted Rufus back up to the bridge; his seeming unflappable cool had been greatly diminished by his enforced captivity. His eyes were drawn instantly to the red sphere visible high in the sky. "Is that it?"

"Yes, Mr. Shinra. That is Meteor." Tifa marvelled at Aeris' composure considering whom she was addressing. Even though her words days before had shaken this man, he still stared at her coldly. "It has dramatically increased in size over the last two days."

"So it's getting closer?" She nodded, and Rufus cursed under his breath.

"And what do you expect me to do about it?

"Nothing, Mr. Shinra. You personally cannot stop it. But your company may be able to help." 

He looked at her suspiciously. "My... company?"

"The Shinra company is the developer of Mako energy and the engineers of the Mako crystallisation process. Your science division created the SOLDIER program and pioneered the Jenova project. Your father was obsessed with the Cetra, the Ancients."

"Spare me the tedious details of my father's accomplishments and fantasies. I know very little about any of these subjects. Talk to Hojo."

Aeris sighed. "We've tried to. Repeatedly. Quite in contrast to you, Ms Scarlet and Mr. Heidegger, he appears to see no issue with Meteor's approach. He almost seems to be looking forward to it."

"You can't expect me to believe that he's looking forward to the end of the world-" he began.

"But you do, don't you Mr. Shinra?" Aeris asked quietly. "I don't think you've ever been sure about Professor Hojo. Was his resignation from the Shinra company entirely by his choice or did you help push him out? And did you seek him out afterwards or did he approach you?"

Rufus looked uncomfortable. "I don't need to answer that."

"No. No you don't Mr. Shinra. But you need to be aware that the individual best placed to give us the answers we need is refusing to co-operate."

He scowled, "And you want me to co-operate?"

"I think it would be in your best interests..."

The president of Shinra sighed. "If we are truly facing extinction, what do you want from me?"

Reeve cleared his throat and stepped forward from the back of the bridge, Rufus narrowing his eyes at the former City Planner as he spoke. "We need access to the company mainframe; in particular weapons development and the scientific research areas."

"I can't say I'm entirely surprised by your change of allegiance, Tuesti. You've been less then enthused in your role since I took charge."

"With all due respect, sir, it began long before that. Your father ordering the dropping of the Sector Seven plate was almost the last straw."

"And so you've thrown your lot in with these terrorists?"

"Terrorists you've just agreed to help."

Rufus smiled abruptly. "I should paid more attention to those reports you were sending back about these people. Or not let you off quite so easily when you got that robot destroyed."

Reeve stiffened slightly. "I did my job to the best of my abilities. The loss of Cait Sith was unavoidable."

"So you say. What did they tempt you with? Are they going to let you take charge of the company once the threat is neutralised?"

"As difficult as it may be for you to believe, sir, I have been promised nothing in return for my assistance. I..." He swallowed. "I believe in their ideals."

"Their ideals?"

"Does it not concern you that their claims might be correct? No matter what Hojo or your father may have said, when you toured the world, did you not see the lifeless areas that surround all the Mako reactors?" Rufus was silent and just held his gaze. "Rufus... It's not too late to save the Planet. Not just from Sephiroth, but from us too."

Rufus sighed, exasperated. "Spare me the environmental speeches. In the interest living past Meteor I will give you your access, but I promise nothing on the company's business practices."

"Thank you, Mr. Shinra. That is all we can ask for at the moment." Tifa caught Barret start as Aeris spoke, but he settled, understanding that this was not the time for Avalanche's concerns.

"Just one more thing, Reeve." Rufus was grinning now. "If we live through this, you're fired."

"I was already planning to tender my resignation if we do."

 

Tifa's breath caught in her throat as the Highwind crested the mountain range of the Eastern continent and Midgar became visible in the distance. She had never truly expected to return to the city, though she remembered there would have been one benefit in a return to the city; the chance to visit the flower girl's second garden. Frustratingly she suspected that the current circumstances would not lend themselves to such a visit. Her eyes sought and found the damaged bulk of the reactor that sat nearly on top of the Church in Sector Five, neatly marking where Aeris' second home resided. She tried, futilely not to look, but her eyes were inevitably drawn to the breaks in the upper plates; the unfinished Sector Six and the missing Sector Seven. She dragged her eyes away. From this distance she knew she would not be able to see anything, and the word damage would be beneath the fallen section, but she did not feel she could cope with more reminders of the fate of her former home.

"Are you sure about this Cid? Is there even anywhere to put this thing down here?" Barret muttered as they sped over the black desert.

"Don't have a lot of choice. Unless you really want to dock at Junon and find some other way back over here. Risky as it is, I'm in favour of doing things as quickly as possible." He ducked slightly, looking up from the Highwind almost on reflex. The red star of Meteor was behind them, and he could see nothing through the smoke-filled and now darkening skies above Midgar. The tangle of electrical lights and flares from the still operational Mako reactors glowed below them.

"The Shinra building is our best bet of finding what we want. There are backups held in Junon, but the mainframes are here and certain systems aren't copied to remote locations," Reeve put in.

"I'm guessing the science division is one of those?" Tifa didn't move her eyes from the nearing city.

"Quite. Hojo hoards information. Cid; there's a landing platform on the top floor of the Shinra building. Do you think we can dock there?"

The pilot smiled, "If I can't put us down, you guys'll just have to jump for it." He laughed as the colour drained from Reeve's face.

"Still not used to being actually here," he muttered.

 

The comparative opulence of the upper plates passed below them; the tall signs advertising 'Loveless', the roads crammed with vehicles and strolling couples, all open to the air above them. Cid began slowing the Highwind as they approached Sector Zero and the Shinra building. He guided the airship towards the painfully small landing platform that the building boasted outside of the President's office. Avalanche were dispatched up onto the deck with grappling hooks and anchor cables.

Hooks arced through the air onto the building's many protrusions; none ever intended for something the scale of the Highwind to anchor itself to. Painfully slowly, the Highwind sank towards the platform, the assembled group on deck keeping the cables taut as the Highwind slowly sank as low as it could. The craft tilted and the ropes groaned alarmingly in the shifting winds high up in Midgar, but thankfully did not break free.

"Don't want to leave her for long like this..." Cid muttered as he threw a rope ladder over the side. At least, Tifa thought, they would be free of their prisoners soon; while Rufus had been successfully reasoned with, nothing seemed to get through to either Heidegger or Scarlet. They were both blood-thirsty tyrants adamant they had the capability to destroy Meteor, and exhibiting nothing but scorn and disdain for their captors. And as for Hojo...

Tifa shivered. They'd stopped trying to even communicate with Hojo. The man hadn't seemingly moved in days and sat crouched on his bunk. He'd been laughing maniacally at first; this had quietened, but disturbingly not stopped. His hunched shoulders still shook with a silent laughter that gleamed in his eyes. Aeris had noted that despite his apparent lack of movement, he always faced towards the North, towards Sephiroth, the crater, the Black Materia, and Jenova. They did not feel comfortable with his presence on the Highwind and Rufus flippantly offered the answer; secure the scientist in one of his own specimen containers in his lab. They'd clear the floor of his assistants; though none seemed to swear any kind of loyalty for the man and his turn over in staff was absurdly high. A nice, neat solution to the man.

She and Aeris had struggled down the rope ladder first, expecting some response from within the Shinra building. Oddly no one approached, either to receive the returning president or demand some explanation for the Highwind's unexpected presence. Tifa frowned, uneasy. There was no way that the Highwind docking here had passed without comment. She peered in through the windows at the President's gigantic office. Nothing. She wanted to be relieved, to think that they would be given a easier time to research and plan, but this was too easy. Something was wrong.

A call above distracted her. Barret had loosened Rufus' bonds and with Vincent covering him from a vantage point further along the deck he was struggling down the rope ladder himself. Was that a movement behind her? She whirled, but saw nothing out of place. She was feeling anxious; there were too many unknowns here... A thought struck her.

"Yuffie!" The ninja's head appeared over the side of the airship. "Can you come down next?"

"Uh... sure. If you want." Some muttered conversation drifted over the side and then the Wutainese girl perched on the rail, waiting until Rufus set foot on the platform.

"Thank you for your co-operation so far," the martial artist spoke as Rufus stepped off of the rope ladder.

"It's surprisingly easy to co-operate when someone has a gun pointed at you," he responded, jerking his head back to the ever watchful Vincent. Tifa began retying his hands. "Is that really necessary?"

"I wish it weren't. But we're taking no chances. While you might have the same vested interest in living through this the rest of us do, I'm not sure we want to do so on your family's terms."

He signed resignedly. "Suit yourself."

Yuffie had reached the platform now, and Tifa murmured cautiously in her ear as Scarlet clambered awkwardly over the side. The ninja vanished off around the side of the office, the martial artist feeling slightly better for this extra precaution. The ninja hurried back once they had Heidegger restrained on the platform and Reeve began climbing down the ladder.

"There's definitely someone in there. Not sure how many, and I haven't spotted them directly."

"Someone at least knows we're here," the raven-haired girl murmured back. There was a thud beside her as Nanaki awkwardly jumped down from the Highwind, his nostrils flaring slightly as he inhaled. "...The Turks are here," he murmured. Hojo descended the rope ladder, his body still convulsing with his maddening silent laughter and a shiver of revulsion rippled through Tifa as she retied his arms behind him.

"We can access the files we want from the President's desk. I suggest half of us take Hojo and the other two down to his lab, while the other keeps an eye on Rufus." Reeve kept an eye on the shaking scientist as he spoke.

Tifa nodded. "Sounds fine. Assuming the Turks don't give us any trouble."

 

Despite having evaded Yuffie's inquisitive eyes so superbly before, the Turks made no effort to remain hidden when Avalanche and their prisoners entered the office. Tseng stood with his hands behind his back facing the group as they entered, while Reno was lent lazily against the President's desk with his typical grin. Rude and Elena quite moved to take position just behind their leader.

"Tseng! I order you to rescue us at once. Rufus has been compromised by Avalanche and I will be assuming command of the company to deal with the impending threat," Heidegger bellowed.

"Belay that order," scowled Rufus. "I am still in charge of this company. Take Heidegger and Scarlet to the cells and lock them in. Put Hojo in specimen storage."

"He's been brainwashed. Look he's been restrained and now he's ordering you to imprison the section heads," hissed Scarlet, eyes narrowing at the assorted Turks. Elena's head whipped to Reno and then Rude before looking questioningly at Tseng.

"Brainwashed!?" Barret exclaimed. "What yo' talkin' about?"

Tseng's eyes caught Aeris' and Tifa noticed her give the Turk an almost imperceptible nod.

"Reno. Rude," Tseng spoke suddenly. "Take Heidegger and Scarlet. I'll handle Hojo."

"This is an outrage!" yelled Heidegger, his face flushing. Scarlet opened her mouth to respond and trailed off, her gaze tugged round by the figure beside her. Hojo's breath had become ragged and his skin was turning a horribly familiar mottled shade.

"What..." gasped Scarlet as Hojo's convulsions brought his hands from behind his back, severing the rope.

"Jenova?" Tifa stumbled backwards away from the changing scientist.

"Yes..." The altering form hissed. "I resisted Reunion in order to assist my son."

"Your... son?" gasped Rufus, struggling to take in the altering form as the scientist's legs twisted together into a tendril, and the body floated up from the floor as the creature transformed.

"...Sephiroth..." The voice was like some alien imitation of Hojo. The creature flicked a limb at the closest person, Scarlet, the thick tentacle encircling her neck and drawing her up towards it. Whatever he had become, the former scientist still seemed to embody his cold scrutiny; organs that might be the creature's eyes stared unblinkingly at its new found specimen. Vincent was carefully circling the creature looking for a clean shot while Nanaki kept a close eye on Rufus.

The creature seemed to grow bored with its scrutiny and the limb flicked Scarlet with horrific force, smashing her awkwardly into a support column with the sickening snap of broken bones. As soon as Scarlet had left its grip, Vincent began firing up at the creature, bullets digging uselessly into flesh which then healed over. Yuffie's shuriken whipped through the air and cut a long slash across its torso, but the same healing effect closed the wound up with barely any loss of the thick noxious fluids that spilled from it.

Barret raked the creature with gunfire. "We ain't even scratching it," he yelled. "The hell are we going to do?" Out of the corner of her eye, Tifa saw Yuffie digging through her materia pouch.

"Magic," she breathed. Barret swore. 

"All mine's on the Highwind!"

Hojo noticed the ninja's actions and whipped a tentacle towards her before she could even raise her head. Cid deflected it, just barely, with his spear. The creature barely paused, ripping the spear from his hands and flinging it across the room. With sickening speed, the tentacle whipped back and into the space the pilot had just vacated. He'd pushed Yuffie backwards as she'd fumbled the materia pouch leaving it lying where she'd stood. The creature sent the bag flying down to the lower level with a flick of its tentacle. The Turks had backed Rufus back behind his desk, content to leave Avalanche to do the fighting

"Reeve," the martial artist yelled to the man nearest the door. "Get back to the Highwind and get us some materia!" He immediately rushed from the room with a nervous backward glance. Each of them tensed ready for the creature's next move, surprised when it stop moving and remained floating in the centre of the room. Yuffie made a break for the stairs down to retrieve the fallen pouch.

"It's... waiting for something?" murmured Aeris as the distant sound of metal twisting and splitting reached them; something was approaching from below. With a scream of tearing metal, an organic mass erupted from the floor, metal plating curling back like withered petals in the wake of the thing's movements. Tifa scarcely had time to process the clumps of mottled flesh before they connected and merged into the hovering creature.

"Yuffie..." she shouted. "Where is that materia?"

"Got it!" came the shout from below as a black wing burst from the back of the hovering creature accompanied by a shower of dark feathers. She dimly registered Reeve clambering the rope ladder back to the Highwind and the thump of Yuffie's boots on the stairs. Feathers continued to fall away from the extended wing, the bat-like skin underneath gradually becoming visible. This creature's whose gaze settled on the one moving object in the room; Heidegger made a desperate spring for the lower level. In a moment the creature was on him, claws extending from tentacle limbs to hook into him. He was drawn up into the air, his face a mixture of terror and pain as he struggled futilely.

A terrible maw formed on the creature's chest, a gaping wound that revealed rows of yellowing fangs. Vincent opened fired again, but nothing could stop the inevitable as the aperture closed on Heidegger's head severing it from his body. The crumpled remnants were left to drop to the floor as the creature surveyed the room once more.

"Yuffie..." Tifa began as a spark of electricity arced across the room and punched into the creature. It span hissing towards the source as Yuffie's face fell. "Oh no." The creature advanced on her and the ninja desperately flung the bag towards Barret as she shot another lightning bolt at the creature. The charge crackled against it, knocking the monster back slightly, but it quickly recovered. Cid's spear abruptly plunged into the creature's back, drawing its attention away from the materia collector.

"Let's try some fire," murmured Barret as he flung the pouch back towards Yuffie and then engulfed the floating monstrosity in a torrent of flame

"Magic's hurting it," observed Aeris as they scrambled out of the way of a burning limb as the creature lunged for the Avalanche leader.

"Not enough," shot back Tifa. "This one's stronger somehow."

Yuffie reached the materia bag. "Guess we've got no choice." She drew two spheres from the bag, throwing a green towards the flower girl and clutching a red sphere tightly. The burst of white fire and energy that emerged from her right hand tore a path straight up through the ceiling as the sphere in her left grew brighter. The creature noticed the summon commencing and flew towards the defenceless ninja.

A rain of ice-crystals hurtled through the air from the Cetra, bringing a blast of frigid air with them. They delayed the creature for just long enough; with a roar, taloned hands ripped through the roof above them, peeling the metal back and exposing the creature to the dragon Yuffie had summoned. Fire leapt from its mouth, rippling over what had once been Hojo as Avalanche scrambled away from the fight. Reeve's descent from the Highwind was arrested by the staggering sight of summoned dragon perched on the roof of the office.

The creature was not defeated yet. Snake like tendrils sought out the dragon's neck, coiling and squeezing around it; Yuffie looked uncomfortable as it tightened its hold, but then the dragon leapt forward, pinning the writhing creature to the office floor. Its mouth yawned wide as energy built up and the blue glow from within its jaws was blinding. The energy burst out of the dragon, vaporising the thing that had been Hojo; it cut straight through the floor, gouging a chunk from the outer wall of the Shinra building and finally dispersing into the air just above the upper plate. Yuffie heaved a sigh of relief as the dragon dispersed back into coiling blue energy and flopping onto her back, one hand still clutching the red orb while the other rubbed at her temples.


	22. A Moment of Planning

The damage to the building was extensive, and the... thing, Tifa could not think of a better descriptor for it, had been held in Hojo's laboratory several floors below. It transpired that the Shinra company mainframe had been damaged in the confrontation with Hojo; either by accident or design during the ascension of the final Jenova samples the scientist had secreted in his lab below. Rufus pushed the terminal keyboard away from him in frustration.

"Well, I'm afraid my potential usefulness to you is pretty much over now." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.

"You can't fix it?" Tifa felt her heart sink.

"The mainframe itself can be fixed, or at least rebuilt. I'm not sure of the time-scales involved, or whether anything can be recovered from what's left of it. As Reeve mentioned, backups do not occur for all our data."

"We need to pool our information," Aeris spoke up. "I know philosophically we do not see eye to eye, but you're a smart man Mr. Shinra. You can see that we're in trouble and we need to work together.

He looked up at her. "As much as it pains me to side with terrorists, you are unfortunately right."

"I... I may be able to assist," Nanaki spoke up, still deep in thought. "My grandfather... I think he might be able to tell us how long we have left. Unless Shinra has some project for observing space?"

Rufus shook his head, and then stopped. "Palmer... He was always complaining his budget kept getting slashed but he was in charge of our space programs." He gestured to Reno and Rude. "You two, go find him if he's still alive." With a sloppy salute, Reno wandered away trailed by Rude.

"I think we need to find Cloud as well." Tifa looked at her girlfriend as she spoke, startling Yuffie.

"Him? Why... Could he still be okay?" she asked flushing.

The flower girl spoke up. "I don't know. I think I could have told you if he had returned to the Planet when I was younger, but not now, and certainly not here."

"Wasn't this... Cloud in the crater when it collapsed? Do you think he survived that?" Rufus looked at her questioningly. "I hope you're not suggesting sifting through a million tonnes of rock looking for this man?"

She shook her head. "No, if anything he'll have fallen into the Lifestream; that region was in permanent flux, and the Mako flow was always close to the surface."

"Then he is as good as dead." He waved his hand dismissively.

"Sephiroth endured the Lifestream to reach the North Crater. It's possible that Cloud endured it too," the Cetra pointed out.

"Vague feelings and possibilities are not a comforting thing to rely on. High doses of Mako are fatal, even for qualifying SOLDIERs." He smacked the desk in frustration. "Once again, the mainframe had all the research on this. We're getting nowhere."

Tseng coughed gently. "There is an additional complication with any return to the North, sir."

Rufus sighed. "Report, Tseng."

"In your absence sir, we received radio reports from the garrison stationed on the Northern continent. After the release of five unidentified entities three days ago, an energy field has been observed sealing the North Crater. The infantry are not equipped for a full investigation, but they did perform some ad hoc experimentation that indicates that it's capable of repelling the combined firepower of the entire garrison."

"Fantastic," he drawled sarcastically. "What about these entities...?"

"Weapons," murmured Aeris.

"...these WEAPONS, then. Please tell me we at least know where they are?"

Tseng grimaced slightly and Elena spoke. "We have lost visual contact with all of them..."

"Not even one!" he exclaimed, glowering at the two Turks. "How?"

"Air traffic control lost track of the one we designated 'Ruby' almost immediately," Tseng interjected. "Three of the others, denoted 'Emerald', 'Sapphire' and 'Diamond', were last observed entering the ocean around the North Crater at speed. With the recent cut-backs to the naval division, there is nowhere near sufficient resources to begin locating them underwater. Nor do I expect the divisions weapon systems be capable of damaging the entities."

"What about the last one?"

"The final construct, designated 'Ultima', was tracked heading South. It was last observed passing over Nibelheim with no variance to its trajectory."

 

An idea seemed to have occurred to Aeris, and as such she took little part in the ensuing arguments and theorising. Reno and Rude eventually brought the protesting and fearful Palmer back up to see Rufus who cringed beneath the president's withering gaze. With a quivering voice he admitted that the division had no method for tracking celestial bodies, both space exploration and any serious astronomy were deemed wasteful next to the former President's desire to see Midgar completed, and Neo-Midgar commenced. Nanaki reiterated that he could provide some of their much needed answers if he was able to return to Cosmo Canyon. Tifa could see no viable alternative agreed and asked Cid to accompany him, Barret and Yuffie back there. The flower girl spoke up and asked the ninja to stay; the martial artist glanced at the Cetra curiously, but she simply smiled that knowing smile back at her. She needed, or wanted Yuffie around for something. Reeve had begun rounding up technicians to attempt to restore the mainframe, and Tseng provided them with an interesting possibility.

"Huge Materia?" asked Rufus.

"Yes, sir. It was a pet project of Scarlet's; she was increasing the compression ratios in certain reactors to observe the effect on materia growth. Her initial experiments were performed at Fort Condor, and after the successful production of a larger Materia shard she ordered the reactors in Nibelheim, Junon and the Corel mountains be configured for its production."

"And how does this help us?"

"Huge materia is used in the Mako canon Junon. The power generated from a typical piece is approximately three hundred and thirty times that of a typical materia sphere output."

Rufus was silent for a moment as he digested the potential. "And what would you suggest we use it for?"

"Both Heidegger and Scarlet were working on a more inelegant usage of materia in weapons research; using it as the payload of explosive devices. The tests showed promise, and there should be some working prototypes. I propose we use it to breach the shield at the North Crater."

Rufus looked at him incredulously. "You want to use it access the crater? Not against one of the Weapons or Meteor?"

Tseng looked apprehensive, "With respect sir, while we may be able to destroy one Weapon with the explosives that still leaves us with four more to deal with. The production of Huge Materia is not a quick process, and much of our reserves were depleted in the Wutai war and still have not been adequately replaced. While the idea of detonating the shards on the surface of Meteor is attractive, it is unlikely to reduce the object's mass sufficiently to mitigate the potential destruction. That is, if we could even launch it."

"Use the Shinra twenty-six, there's no other use for it," Rufus looked confused.

"You are not using my rocket as a missile," growled Cid, his eyes narrowing. Tseng coughed, glancing at Cid.

"The Shinra twenty-six has not been properly maintained for four years sir. It's prior launch was aborted and with the subsequent abandonment of the space program the damage to the vehicle has not been established. A launch, while possible, is hazardous," he continued.

"If you'd have given us the resources you asked for..." muttered the pilot. "Even then, do you know anything about launch windows and orbital mechanics? Just because we could launch it, doesn't mean we'd be able to aim it correctly."

Rufus ignored his muttering, "So you want to open the North Crater and what, confront Sephiroth?"

"Yes; as unpleasant as it is, your father did some rather unethical experiments on magic use. While the precise details are regrettably inaccessible in on the mainframe, I have seen documents that suggest the death of a caster will nullify the spell."

Rufus paused, musing on this. "Then if we can kill him...?"

"We can halt the approach of Meteor, or possibly dispel it."

Tifa spoke up. "And that's why we need to find Cloud. If we can believe anything Sephiroth told us at the crater, he was implying that Cloud's memories and personality originated from Zack. Even if Cloud wasn't at Nibelheim five years ago, he somehow came into contact, or spoke with the SOLDIER who was there. Cloud is our best lead on locating Zack, and finding out how Sephiroth disappeared five years ago. After what we saw in the North, I don't believe he intentionally vanished; his body looked like it had been cut in half. Someone did that to him, and I think that someone might be Zack."

Rufus watched her, trying to piece things together. "That man at the crater... the one Hojo called a failed Sephiroth clone; he wasn't a former SOLDIER? And who is this Zack? How can they have muddled memories and how does this help?"

"It's a long story, Mr. Shinra, but someone stopped Sephiroth five years ago when he vanished at Nibelheim. We know of only two people who might be able to tell us what happened; the SOLDIER named Zack Fair and man you know as Cloud Strife. One of them can hopefully tell us what happened; either directly via Zack or indirectly via Cloud. If we do need to confront Sephiroth once more... I want to know how he was finally beaten." Tifa looked levelly at the president.

"Unfortunately without a starting point we have no way of locating either of them. Tseng get hold of as much of the Huge Materia as you can. If we don't get a better plan, we can at least try to put an end to Sephiroth."

"Can someone else retrieve the Huge Materia? I would like Tseng to take Tifa, Yuffie and I somewhere. I think I may be able to find some more information about the Black Materia and Meteor."

"Answers from who?" asked Rufus suspiciously.

"The Planet, the Lifestream, the Cetra," she replied.


	23. A Moment Revisited

Aeris, Tifa and Yuffie watched Tseng fly the helicopter away from the shore beside Bone Village before turning to begin their journey to the Cetra City once again. Tseng had taken the flower girl at her word that they would rendezvous with him in a few days time further North in Icicle Inn; he'd been instructed to check in with the Shinra garrison stationed nearby in the meantime. They'd obtained winter clothing before Midgar in preparation for the freezing weather they would suffer through after leaving the City. The Cetra's plan was to communicate with those within the Lifestream and learn all that she could about the Black and White materia, and if possible gain some hint to assist with locating either Zack or Cloud. So this was why the ninja had been asked to stay with them; as much as she had complained or resisted accompanying them, she, like Tifa and Aeris, wanted to know what had befallen their friend. The martial artist chuckled quietly at how easily they'd have been able to overlook this, and how the ninja herself might have never realised how she felt until the flower girl encouraged that date at the Gold Saucer to give them their privacy.

The air seemed cooler then it had been a few days ago, but was still comfortably clement compared to the icy climes ahead of them. They rested on the same spot Aeris had made her former camp before she had entered the City proper.

"We don't have to leave everything here like you did, do we?" asked Yuffie as they sat beside the remnants of the small cooking fire. The flower girl smiled.

"No... not this time. That was just precautionary."

"Precautionary?" The flower girl looked to Tifa.

"Yes. It might not have been necessary, but the Planet insisted there be no chance of interference in the casting; no other materia and no metal."

"Was... was that enough?"

Aeris sighed, "I don't know. I thought it was, you've seen that the spell is active, but..." She glanced skyward at the growing circle of red visible high above them. "That is still here."

"Sp you're going to try and ask the Lifestream directly?" Yuffie piped up.

"Yes." The Cetra smiled, "This is the place I can hear the Planet the clearest, even more so then I could at the Temple."

The trio lapsed into silence a moment before Yuffie spoke up again, "Do you think Cloud might really be..." She swallowed, searching for the words. "I mean, have returned to the Planet?"

The flower girl tilted her head to one side, her expression comforting. "It is unfortunately possible. If it's true, then... I'm sorry Yuffie."

Yuffie tried to look puzzled. "Sorry? Why would you be... sorry..." She trailed off.

"It's okay Yuffie," she glanced up at Tifa who smiled gently. Aeris slipped her arm around the ninja's shoulders. "We know that he meant more to you then you ever let on."

Yuffie smiled bitterly. "Guess I never could fool you two could I?" She leaned into the flower girl's shoulders. "I... I was going to say something after all this was finished. I mean... I know he still had a major crush on you." Her eyes then flicked to the martial artist. "Well... both of you. And after that night in the Gold Saucer... Well, I just started thinking... maybe we could be together. I know I've got no hope with Vincent; he just doesn't think of me like that... I think he's still in love with someone else. I didn't realise I was falling for him, he's so different to any of the boys back home... Just... just why'd he have to do that to me in the crater?"

The raven-haired girl slid over beside the younger girl and put her arm around her shoulders as well. "You know it wasn't really him that time don't you?"

The ninja who let out a loud sigh. "Yeah. Yeah I do. I can't hold it against him really."

The flower girl and the martial artist sat silently, gently holding her "Thank you," Yuffie said at length.

"It's okay," murmured Tifa.

"You know you can always talk to us" added Aeris. The ninja pushed gently back against their arms and they leaned away from her. "Feel up to pushing on?"

Yuffie smiled slightly. "Yeah." She stood up. "Hey, Aeris? If... When you talk to the Lifestream? If Cloud is in there... Do you think... you could give him a message from me? Does it work like that? I mean I hope they can tell you where he is rather then him being in there..."

The brunette smiled. "I hope they can tell us too, but I think if the need arose I would be perfectly happy to pass on a message. What would you like me to tell him?"

"Tell him... tell him... Um... tell him, I'm happy I met him... and... I lo- liked him and goodbye... for now." She sagged. "That was lame."

The flower girl shook her head. "Not at all. If he is there, I will let him know."

"Where do we need to go?" Tifa took Aeris' hand as they stepped out from under the tree line, the ambient temperature noticeably rising as they walked. A marvel of the Cetra; the ability to control the conditions across this entire city, even centuries later.

"We need to go back down to the altar below the city."

 

The city was still awe-inspiring, formed from architectural practices long since forgotten or simply never know outside of the Cetra. Tifa was unable to shake an unnerving sense of foreboding as they traced the segmented pathway into the city proper and towards the secluded lake where she had so narrowly saved Aeris' life. She gazed at her girlfriend as she walked; she seemed to harbour no ill-will of any kind towards the place. While the Icicle Inn might have been her birth place, it was all too obvious that this should have been her home, the place she could connect most deeply and clearly with the Planet beneath them. She could see the effect first hand, flower girl seemed refreshed and bursting with vitality; her hair was silken, her skin smooth and glowing... The martial artist shook her head; they sadly did not have the time for this, and with Yuffie around...

The shell house towered above them and the secluded lake; Tifa's hand tightened involuntarily as they crossed the threshold and into the interior. The descent into the secret, lower region of the city was as nerve-wracking as it had been the first time; those strange floating crystal steps, the cavern that stretched out beyond their range of vision and illuminated in the centre, that plinth where Sephiroth had made his murderous attempt on the Cetra's life and revealed the extent of his control over Cloud Strife...

She found herself reliving that sequence of events again, and like a derailing train, thoughts jumbled through her mind. How lucky she had been that she'd stopped Sephiroth in time, and what could have happened if she'd been slightly slower, if Sephiroth had acted before she'd heard her partner's voice or if she'd been left in Gongaga. In horrible detail she couldn't stop her self from envisioning Aeris praying obliviously, that green flash as the materia activated - no - not even that before the murderous man dropped towards her. Then the impact, the blood, her lover's body caught on the Masamune and then callously jerked free... Her body slumping lifelessly forward, blood spurting from the wound and pooling up around her... Her eyes closed, but that smile remained on her lips reminding her agonisingly of what had just been taken from her...

"Hey." 

Tifa looked up, suddenly aware she was crying. Aeris was staring at her in worry. The raven-haired girl sniffed and tried to rub her eyes dry. "It's... it's nothing."

"It can't be nothing if you're this upset. You can tell me, you know that."

The martial artist stared into her partner's eyes. "I... I just remembered the last time we were here, and then I couldn't stop thinking about how close it was, and what would have happened if I hadn't been here..."

"Oh, Tifa." The flower girl embraced her, arms holding her tight. She felt so good. Tifa hugged back, trying to dismiss her awful imaginings. "It's okay," her girlfriend was whispering. "You came for me and you kept me safe; that's all that matters. I love you."

"I love you too," the martial artist whispered back. "I'm sorry. I'm just being silly."

"Tifa Lockhart, you are never silly. Would... Do you want to wait outside if this place is getting to you...?"

"No." She pulled back slightly, "I'm... I'm okay."

Aeris smiled and clasped Tifa's hand. "Never forget though; I am still here and it's all thanks to you."

Warmth spread through her chest and she smiled. The two of them continued their descent, Yuffie sat waiting impatiently far below.

 

Aeris knelt and carefully dipped her hand into the vast pool of the water at the end of the crystal steps. A smile tugged at her lips. "I can hear them so clearly..." she murmured to herself. She withdrew her hand and turned to the watching Tifa and Yuffie. "I will do this as quickly as I can," she said removing her jacket and pulling the bracelets from her wrist.

"Aeris...?" The martial artist looked at the flower girl confused and then with widening eyes as she began undoing the buttons on her dress. Yuffie started and then span on her heel looking away. "What are you doing?"

The Cetra tilted her head to one side. "I'm going to talk with the Lifestream."

"Yes... but," she gestured as the brunette removed her dress and then sat to unlace her boots. "Why are you taking off all your clothes?"

"I'm going to enter the Lifestream, and I don't really want to get my clothes wet," was the matter of fact response.

"You can do that...? But... there's no Mako here?"

Aeris looked up with a smile, "That's merely one form of the Lifestream; this pool is part of the Lifestream as well. I need to talk to the Cetra directly; from here the voices are too confusing and overlapping."

"Then... I'm coming too," blurted Tifa, hauling her tank top over her head. Yuffie had risked a look back and now span away again.

"Tifa, I'll be okay," the Cetra had paused half-naked and caught her girlfriend's eye. "I'll come back."

The martial artist shook her head. "I know. But I told you I was never letting you go off on your own like that again. Remember?" Her eyes flicked to the water. "And need I remind you, you only just learned to swim?"

Her partner tilted her head to one side once more as she stared up at the raven-haired girl with a small smile on her lips. "You have a point..." A thought struck her. "And I suppose I could introduce you to my parents..."

Tifa couldn't suppress her grin at that idea. "Really?"

The flower girl nodded in reply, "Really."

The raven-haired girl quickly removed the remainder of her clothes as the brunette sat patiently watching her, her arms wrapped around her legs. "So... what do we do?"

Aeris took her hand and tugged her down to sit beside her and they both dangled their feet in the water. Tifa had expected the crystal clear lake to be chillingly cold, but instead it was wonderfully warm. "We submerge in the water ourselves and clear our minds."

"That's it?" The raven-haired girl was incredulous.

"That's it. Just keep a tight hold on my hand, and I'll bring us back out safe and sound."

They slipped into the water; the warmth was seductive. She could drift off so easily in here...

"Yuffie?" The brunette called.

"Have you two stopped being weird and naked yet?" the ninja responded.

"We're in the water at least." Yuffie sighed, walking over to the platform edge. "Sorry to leave you on your own," the flower girl continued. "We'll get this over with as quickly as possible."

"What do I do?"

"Keep an eye out, amuse yourself somehow, be ready to help us out," Aeris replied.

"Fine. But make sure you give Cloud my message if he's in there."

"Of course. See you soon Yuffie," the Cetra winked up at her.

The ninja slumped down, sitting cross-legged on the edge as Tifa turned to her partner. "Okay, you remember Costa del Sol?" The flower girl nodded. "We're going to do the same thing, just take a deep breath and we'll go under... Will that work? Wait; are we going to have enough air? I mean, how long will this take?"

"Don't worry, it will work, and the Planet will look after us."

"Okay. On the count of three then?" The flower girl nodded.

"One, two, three-"

They both raised themselves slightly, inhaling and letting go of the platform. Tifa felt the warm water rush up and envelope her. She'd shut her eyes automatically as she'd ducked under, but suddenly she couldn't open them again...


	24. A Moment in the Lifestream

Tifa could feel warmth all around her, her hair spreading out and upwards as they sank. She could feel the pressure begin to build on her ears and the breath in her lungs was beginning to burst for release. She could still feel Aeris' hand held in her own, and took solace in the fact that she was not doing this alone. Could she open her eyes here? How long would this take? Was this all there was? Was the Lifestream beyond her comprehension and this was all she would experience? All she could hear was the white noise of her water-filled ears and all she could see was the pink glow of the sun on her eyelids...

...how long had she been like this...

...how long had they been drifting down... 

She tried to estimate the time. She felt she was on the cusp of drowning, only a moment away from expelling her held breath and then horrifically drawing in water instead of air. But the fatal moment seemed to be eluding her. She started to count seconds; surprised when she reached sixty. She kept going. She stopped at three thousand; she'd been close to drowning for almost an hour. Had she made a mistake somewhere? She risked opening her eyes, but her eyelids wouldn't part. She could still see the same glow through them. Surely by now the depth of the water should have diminished the brightness? Could she still feel Aeris' hand? She thought so. Her body wouldn't respond though, her fingers wouldn't squeeze.

A faint whispering began in her ears, slowly growing in intensity and volume. The feel of water against her skin faded away to be replaced by something soft lying against her, constricting her. The bright glare intensified; becoming painful and then suddenly vanished. She tried to see once more, catching a quick glimpse of dark unfamiliar shapes before the glare returned almost blinding her. The noise was deafening. It hurt her ears. Where was she? What was going on? She opened her mouth to speak and from her lips burst the wail of a baby. There was warmth around her, but now an intense descended on her from above. With every quick breath she drew in between wails her insides seemed to freeze agonisingly. Thunder rumbled in a steady beat, horribly loud and alarmingly close and the cut off. She heard a new sound now, a voice, a woman; she was sobbing. It was if she'd just lost everything in the world. She tried to stop the wail from her mouth, but could not.

Where was she? What was this?

"Ifalna..." A horribly familiar voice rang out from behind her, a voice she had never expected to hear again. The crying from the woman just seemed to intensify. Hojo... It was Hojo. Tifa's mind reeled. Were these... Aeris' memories?

 

Tifa lived Aeris' life; from the earliest fragments of her memories onwards. She couldn't move, couldn't control events, she could only experience what Aeris had. All that her partner knew was her mother was taken from her each morning and returned in the evening, shaking and pained. Ifalna doted on her daughter when she could, even after the experiments left her body wracked with pain. She whispered tiny hints of their heritage as the last members of their race, and made little smiling comments about her father; these always brought tears to her mother's eyes. The Cetra child felt cramped and caged; she wanted to run and explore, and all she could do was pace the length of this small room. Lab assistants brought her new toys and books to read as she grew older, and Ifalna patiently taught her how to read. Once and only once her mother tried to demonstrate another alphabet, scribbling an unfamiliar glyph on a scrap of paper; she abruptly changed her mind, scribbled the image into illegibility and then swallowed the paper.

Aeris found herself awakening from slumber one night, her limbs leaden, her mind clouded with fear at the muffled commotion audible all around them. She could feel her mother's arms around her as she ran. They were outside of the room! Tifa's heart heart sank slightly; she knew, though the memories did not, what this must be a prelude to. Despite her fore-knowledge, the crack of the gun still startled her as Ifalna staggered but kept on moving, throwing herself desperately into a train car just before it sped away. 

"Are... are you okay?" Tifa heard another familiar voice after Ifalna had stumbled across cold concrete to lie against the platform. Aeris looked up through tear-blurred eyes to see Elmyra Gainsborough looking down at her, her eyes filled with concern. Her mother stirred beside her; her voice was so low, so weak. 

"Please," she gasped, "Please take Aeris somewhere safe." Her head slumped as she spoke, the final word little more then a breath. Elmyra reached out a tentative hand to Aeris' back.

"It's okay." The woman smiled warmly, her eyes oddly comforting. The Cetra let her herself be pulled gently away from her mother's body and into Elmyra's arms. It felt warm, comforting and safe. Her crying became subdued, as Elmyra stood, the young girl clinging tightly to her. "It's okay," she whispered again. It was remarkable to see the flower girl's adoptive mother like this, so much younger and yet so quickly maternal to the girl she would adopt. She was flustered now though and dithering.

"'Please take Aeris somewhere safe.'" she repeated to herself. "I will."

 

Freed from Shinra's labs, Aeris experienced new joys and pains. She engaged Elmyra in endless conversations, seeing the surprise in her eyes as one day she asked her to not be sad as one dear to her had returned to the Planet. Tifa watched entranced as she began to grow her flowers, just as she had related. She saw them bloom seemingly effortlessly from her careful, loving endeavour in the brightening garden. Then there were the clashes with her mother as she announced she wanted to fill Midgar with flowers and spread them throughout the city; necessitating her heading out alone into the slums each day. Elmyra was dead set against it... at first. But with the meagre money scraped together both from the limited selling Aeris managed with Elmyra's chaperoning and her mother's own scant savings from her job, the flower girl was eventually enrolled in self-defence classes. The Cetra learned to use the quarterstaff and with that Mrs. Gainsborough ran out of excuses to stop her independence. She watched, transfixed with worry as the brunette strolled off into the slums heading wherever her feet took her to sell her flowers. Each day she would stroll back, safe and sound to Elmyra's immense relief.

It was while selling flowers one day that she first caught the attention of Zack. He was cocky and handsome, just as Tifa remembered him, and very rapidly taken with the flower girl. But he was not what Aeris wanted from a partner, a lover. There was an expectation from her friends that as much as she would protest now his attentions now, she would eventually allow Zack into her heart, let him kiss her, and maybe one day see him get down on one knee and ask her to be with him forever. Elmyra was nervous that her daughter had been noticed by such a high-ranking member of SOLDIER, while the flower girl's friends just smirked knowingly whenever he asked after her, or they saw the two of them together. But... while she liked talking to him, she never liked him in that way; the way he seemed to like her, the way that all her friends seemed to think of the young SOLDIER. No one would believe her that she did not find herself attracted to him. One day caught a glimpse of the girl that made her realise why.

Then she started to see them; Aeris had implied it once before, but Tifa had never dared to ask. The flower girl's former lovers. She experienced first-hand the thrill of the first kiss as she embraced her first girlfriend and the thrill of the new sensations racing through her. Then the pain at separation as the girl's father suddenly forbade any further contact between them. A futile gesture; it simply lead to secretive meetings in the church of Sector Five, eventually culminating in hasty love-making and wild plans of fleeing the city together. Now there was the heartbreak of rejection as her lover chose an arranged 'normal' marriage over her secret clinches with the Cetra. She experienced it all and it hurt. She longed so badly to comfort Aeris, to have been of comfort all these years and to have been with her longer. But she could do nothing but watch her girlfriend's relationships, she knew that she had not yet arrived in this city; she still resided in a quiet mountain town, hoping a man named Cloud Strife would return one day. 

Zack eventually visited Aeris one day to say he was being sent on a distant mission so he wouldn't see her for a while. Tifa fastened onto this as a guidepost in this journey through her girlfriend's memories; five years until they reached the present. She'd loved watching the flower garden grow from its tiny beginnings gradually taking over the floor year by year. She marvelled at the secret flowers her lover cultivated, and very occasionally sold; she was carrying some from this garden the day she went to the upper plate of Sector Eight. A nearby explosion wiped out power to the sector and drove the passers by into a panic, in the confusion a blonde SOLDIER had kindly helped her to her feet. She sold him a flower, almost on reflex, only realising afterwards how unusual it was to see a SOLDIER in the streets. 

She thought no more about him the next day as she made her way to the church, spending her day as she always did. But the Planet abruptly whispered a cryptic warning moments before she heard an explosion from high above, followed by a rain of debris on the roof and then that same SOLDIER landing heavily in her flower bed. She watched his movements with interest; Tifa realising how closely Cloud's body language matched Zack's now. She suddenly became eager to see herself through her lover's eyes. The former SOLDIER and the flower girl had paused in the abandoned park in Sector Six as Aeris tried to pry into whether he could answer the question of what had become of her friend. A noise drew their attention and they saw a chocobo pulled cart pass them; Cloud exclaiming with recognition as he spotted the martial artist. And Aeris... Aeris she only had eyes for her. She felt the pleasurable thrill run through her girlfriend, her instant attraction all too obvious. Tifa had thought she looked almost ridiculous in that clothing, tarted up to appeal to an odious man. But in her partner's fascinated eyes she was a goddess.

Their memories began to mesh, the martial artist seeing the same events from an external perspective. Aeris' attempted seduction in Junon, the guilt she'd felt as she fled through the city afterwards. Her eagerness to make love, and how she held herself back for so long until her partner was ready. That glorious first night in the Gold Saucer as she experienced first hand every pleasure she had visited on her lover. The pain of Cloud's assault at the Temple, the Planet now starkly audible and insistent, speaking to her with Ifalna's voice. Her guilt at sending her lover to sleep and slipping out into the darkness of the night...

Events seemed to rush by faster as they approached the present, her life saved at the City, the moment of horror as the Black Materia was passed to the real Sephiroth, their escape on the Highwind...

 

It felt like she was lying down, and something heavy was lying across her hips. Her chest felt... strange. All of her felt strange, her arms and legs were fuzzy as if she had pins and needles. Everything was dim. She realised her eyes were closed. Were they out? She opened her eyes. Aeris was staring down at her. "Tifa!" She smiled.

"Aeris..." She looked down; her girlfriend was nude and straddling her in a place of endless white. No... not nude. Not really. Something was very strange. Where the flower girl's body should be resting against her own there was... a lack of definition. It was almost as if there was no point where the Cetra's body began and the martial artist's ended. 

"Aeris?" 

She looked slightly embarrassed. "I... I saw your memories."

Tifa smiled back. "Don't worry. I saw yours too." She reached up to touch Aeris' cheek and realised that one of the brunette's arms extended through her chest. It was like she was leaning on the surface the martial artist lay on, but the limb had passed through her. It should have been more uncomfortable and unnerving, but she just felt so calm, so subdued... The pins and needles in her limbs were slowly diminishing as Aeris she sat back onto her lover's hips. Her arm slid from the raven-haired girl's body without injury or mark and then the brunette rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"Are we still in the Lifestream?" Tifa asked.

"We are."

"What happened to us?"

Aeris titled her head to one side as she considered. "We were... merged as we passed into the Lifestream. Its what usually happens when one returns to the Planet; I've been separating us out again." As she spoke the distinction between the flower girl's body and the martial artist's became more pronounced. "I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable..."

"Was that why we could see each other's memories?"

"Yes."

"Then thank you," Tifa smiled. "And it's not uncomfortable... just unusual."

Aeris smiled and there was a faint tugging as she shuffled her hips backwards. The flower girl stood carefully, reaching down a hand to pull Tifa up to her feet.


	25. A Moment of Goodbye

They stood just watching each other for a moment, before curiosity got the best of Tifa and she glanced around. She'd never seen anything like this; a pure unbroken white was all she could see in every direction. This place might go on forever, or be little larger then a cabin aboard the Highwind. Aeris watched her curiosity with a slight smile. Finally her gaze returned to the only other visible object in the area; her girlfriend.

"This... is not what I was expecting."

"This is just one way of existing here..." Aeris tilted her head to one side. "Currently we're... slightly separate from the rest of the Lifestream."

"Is that the Planet or the Cetra talking to you?"

"Both. Sort of." She smiled. "It's... hard to describe. It's not really like talking or listening, it's more like... my memory just goes on forever, and the more I think the more I remember. And then I start remembering things I couldn't have known before." She glanced down towards her feet. "It's an interesting experience. But first things first; I'm going to give us a frame of reference."

"I'm sorry? Oh!"

From around Aeris feet and spreading out in a widening circle, grass seeds pushed their way up through invisible, soil forming a thick carpet within seconds. This was then augmented by clusters of flowers that Tifa recognised at once; the same flora the flower girl had so carefully and patiently cultivated in the church... Her flower garden replicated here in the life-blood of the planet.

"There. At least we're not going to be as disorientated." The grassy circle radiated into the distance from where they stood; an impossible garden in a world of white. Aeris ran a teasing finger down her partner's chest. "As nice as it is to see you like this, I think we need clothes before I introduce you to my parents..." The martial artist was startled to feel her clothes form around her and before she could react she found herself wearing a tank-top and her skirt. A thought suddenly struck her. 

"Shouldn't we hurry things up? It feels like we've been here years..."

"Don't worry; time passes faster for us while we're here." She hitched up her skirt slightly and knelt down, sitting back on her legs. She patted the grass and Tifa sat down beside her. The grass was cool and she could smell the subtle perfume of the flowers. 

"Just so you know; this doesn't count as taking me to see your garden. Neither do your memories; we still need to see it in person when this is over."

"Why Tifa! I hadn't dreamed of trying to fob you off with this replica or a second hand experience," the flower girl responded with a sparkle in her eyes. Her face fell slightly. "I'm afraid I have some bad news..."

She'd been anticipating it; never truly believing that her childhood friend could have survived the collapsing crater. "Cloud has returned here hasn't he?"

Her partner nodded. The confirmation stung more then she'd anticipated; the last vestige of her childhood was now gone. She was now the last child of Nibelheim. For the damage and hurt he'd caused, Tifa had never wished harm on the blonde SOLDIER. "Zack is here too," the brunette continued.

"Then we won't know what happened back then..."

That sparkle abruptly returned to Aeris' eye. "Not quite true."

"What do you mean?"

"We can talk to both of them... if you'd like."

"I thought they'd returned here and were be merged like we were?"

The Cetra smiled. "They were. But they can be recovered; just like we were. Now, I would like you to choose; who would you like to talk to first?"

The debate should have taken longer, she wanted to say goodbye to Cloud Strife, but she was so curious to see what Zack Fair would be able to tell them. "...let's talk to Zack first."

"Okay." The Cetra took her hand, and tilted her head to one side, closing her eyes. They snapped open again a moment later. "Oh," she murmured and then smiled. "They're on their way."

"'They're?'"

A gentle laugh interrupted any response, accompanied by distant conversation. Some way out from where they sat they could see two figures approaching; both had spiky hair - one black, and one blonde. Tifa gasped as she saw them. There was Zack, looking almost as he had when she'd met him at Nibelheim, that relaxed swagger and controlled energy. And beside him... the man she knew as Cloud, but... calm. No nervous energy animated him now, no pressing need to be somewhere else. He grinned and laughed at whatever the dark-haired man was telling him. That sting of loss was remarkably evaporating. How could she think of him being gone when she could see him looking alive and well right in front of her? "Hey Aeris!" Zack called with an exaggerated wave. He nodded to the martial artist. "Hey Tifa."

"Hi Zack," Aeris offered a smile back. "Hi Cloud."

Cloud greeted them both in turn, and Tifa couldn't help but be amazed at how he'd changed.

"You're crazy, you know?" Zack was speaking to the Cetra. "Throwing yourself in here just to find some answers..."

"We were rather short of other places to try..." she shot back.

"How do you know that...?" Tifa interrupted. Zack turned to her.

"She explained it while she was getting me - well, us, put back together again. Pleasure to meet you again though, Miss Lockhart. Never would have suspected that you'd wind up with Aeris here..."

"Jealous?" Aeris asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A little," he grinned sheepishly.

The martial artist frowned. "Please don't call me 'Miss Lockhart'. Sephiroth does that, and the less reminders I have of him the better."

"Bit hard to avoid given why you're here." She conceded this grudgingly. "So what can we do for you two?"

The flower girl turned to Cloud. "First a message for you." The man blinked in surprise.

"Me? Who...?"

Tifa sighed, "Poor Yuffie..."

"Yuffie!" he exclaimed. "Why would she...?"

"She loved you Cloud." The brunette interrupted. "She just wanted you to know that. She's been worried since we lost you. And since you... at the Crater..."

Cloud flushed and looked away. "Please tell her I'm sorry for that... that... that... wasn't me"

The Cetra caught his cheek and tilted his head up to look at her. "She knows that. She wanted to tell you she's happy she met you, that she's glad you went on that date with her. And that she loves you"

The ex-SOLDIER was momentarily at a loss for words. "Yuffie..." he eventually murmured. "I never thought of her like that..." He looked up. "I... I... don't know what to say."

The flower girl looked deep into his eyes. "It is not my place to answer for you Cloud, but you should wish her a happy life without you. And if her feelings do not fade, I will arrange for you to meet again when she returns to the Planet, and then you two can discuss this in person."

He smiled shyly at that, "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Do you think...?"

She smiled. "Yes, I'll relay that message for you."

"Thank you."

Aeris smiled and then looked at other man. "Now... Zack, I would like you to tell us what happened at Nibelheim five years ago."

"So, the story of how Sephiroth was defeated? Okay. Well, things happened almost exactly as Cloud related to you. Just with me in place of him."

Cloud caught Tifa's eye. "You always knew it wasn't right, didn't you?"

The raven-haired girl grimaced and looked away. "...sorry. I wanted to talk to you about it... but..." Her childhood friend reached out and placed a comforting hand on her own.

"It's okay."

Zack continued. "There were's just one or two details Tifa couldn't know. For starters; Cloud was there."

"Wha-?" Tifa started, then her eyes widened as a memory unfolded inside her. Was this an effect of the Lifestream? She saw the rumbling interior of a van; Sephiroth sat hunched by the rear doors, a infantryman to her right, from whom she could hear a muffled voice complaining of motion sickness. "Why not take the helmet off?" she found herself saying in Zack's voice, and she watched as the infantryman gratefully removed the helmet revealing a shock of blonde hair. Cloud. He slumped forward a bit, gulping down cooler air.

"And I suspect he can tell you better why he never even said hello." The memory had faded and Zack was speaking again.

"Cloud?"

"I... I was embarrassed, ashamed. I'd made you that ridiculous promise and I failed. I was coming back to see you as a failure."

"Oh, Cloud..." She sighed, "I would have liked to see you regardless. Everyone else was gone, and I'd thought- Never mind... I owe you an apology anyway. I'm... sorry. I'm sorry I never could love you in the way you loved me. And I'm sorry I lied to you for so long."

He smiled, "It's okay; it was for my benefit wasn't it?" Tifa nodded still surprised. The change was astonishing, she would have never thought she'd see this kind of calm, mature behaviour from Cloud. "But I suspect there's more you'd like to know?"

Aeris nodded, and Zack resumed.

"I chased Sephiroth up to the reactor. I got there just after you'd been... injured. I... I'm sorry for not doing anything for you. I could see you were still breathing, but I figured I could help you once Sephiroth was taken care of. He had to be stopped. Just as Cloud described, I chased him into the Jenova chamber and challenged him." He hung his head. "I barely lasted ten seconds. I'd sparred with Sephiroth before, but there was something different that day. He was faster, stronger, more brutal then I'd ever seen him. I got sliced up pretty badly and thrown down the stairs." He turned to the man on his left, "Now, your turn."

"I arrived a few minutes after Zack, and found him injured and you dying." He looked towards Tifa. "I... I was late. But I came to help you."

"You kept the promise?" she spoke softly and smiled.

"I did. Just wish I could have told you sooner. I got you out of the way, and did some very shoddy bandaging. I'm afraid I can't tell you who carried you out of there, but I am the one who defeated Sephiroth."

"You? But you weren't even a SOLDIER."

Cloud smiled.

 

He was panting; he'd run as fast as he ever had up the mountain trails to find his friend injured and his first love near death. He gently cradled Tifa and as gently as he could, fearful of tearing the horrible wound on her chest any further, lay her as carefully on a gantry beside the stairway. He tore at his uniform for some scant fabric to even just cover the wound. He had no materia, no medical training. What could he do?

"C-Cloud..." A voice called weakly. He turned seeing Zack's eyes were open and he was fighting to stay conscious. "S-stop Sephiroth..." he croaked as his eyes slid shut. With uncertain steps he approached the SOLDIER who still clutched the enormous Buster Sword in one hand. He tentatively reached out and pulled the grip from limp fingers, his muscles straining against the weight. He looked at the SOLDIER's face. Was he dead, or...? Relief shot through him as he saw the man's chest move. He was unconscious but still alive. A worry struck him then, and he turned; Tifa too still breathed, but she must be running out of time. He had to finish this now.

It took all his strength just to lift the sword and he ran up the steps trembling as his muscles screamed. Sephiroth was ahead, head pressed against the glass cylinder at the opposite end of the chamber, a humanoid torso staring blankly out over the silver-haired man's shoulder. "Mother," he was whispering. Cloud charged and Sephiroth, hearing someone approach, turned at the last moment, eyes widening as the blade penetrated him. The homicidal SOLDIER convulsed and slumped back, muttering angrily.

"Who... are... you...?"

"Give them back! Give me back my home and my..." he choked off the last word. He pulled the blade free, provoking another groan from the general. He surely could not survive the injury... His thoughts went to Tifa and he ran from the room without a second glance. He stumbled down the steps and crouched beside Tifa breathing hard, his strength gone. He could hear breaking glass; somehow Sephiroth was still alive... Cloud turned and watched with horrified apprehension as shuffling footsteps came closer, and the silver-haired SOLDIER staggered out of the inner chamber. He lent heavily on the railing as he stepped carefully down the stairs, the severed head of Jenova clutched in one hand. He looked down at the man as he drew level, a pained scowl on his face. This must be the end. Remarkably Sephiroth ignored him and moved on, more interested in the grisly prize he held in his sword-hand. The blood was no longer dripping freely from his body and his movements were becoming easier. 

"Cloud..." Zack murmured once more as the general limped onwards. "Please... stop him."

He ran. Sephiroth was crossing one of the gantries that lead up to the surface. The infantryman was drawing on reserves of strength he didn't know he had and suspected could never be used again. He screamed his nemesis' name, and the silver haired man paused, turning and lunging as he did so. Cloud didn't even have time to blink; the blade shot straight through his right shoulder. The pain was astonishing.

"Don't... push... your... luck," breathed Sephiroth. He was pale and sweating as he spoke, but pulled Cloud from his feet with a sadistic grin on his face. He hung there, feeling the back of the blade slowing forcing his wound open, grating against his bones. He tried to focus, but the pain was too much. He could hear a dull roaring in his ears. His limbs felt like lead. His head lolled and then he caught sight of the general watching delightedly as his prey struggled to stay alive on the end of his sword. No. He could not let this man live.

He kicked out, seeking the handrail and found it. He took a deep breath as he brought both his hands down onto the Masamune's blade. The cutting edge sliced into his hand, but he hung on. Sephiroth's expression wavered as he strained his leg, pulling himself and the sword down to the gantry. "Impossible!" the madman rasped. He was weakened from Cloud's attack, and could do nothing now to stop him. The blonde man planted both feet firmly and hauled the Masamune up, taking Sephiroth with it. The man's eyes widened with shock. How could this... thing before him be capable of this? The infantryman heaved, a last desperate movement and Sephiroth fell, dropping down into the glowing Mako pool far below. Cloud had no time to check if he'd been successful; darkness filled his vision, and he sank into agonised exhaustion on the reactor floor.

 

"You... defeated Sephiroth?" gasped Tifa. He nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "That's incredible."

"And to think, they didn't let this guy into SOLDIER..." Zack shook his head. 

"But then... how did he become a SOLDIER?"

"Hojo. He was part of the squad Shinra called in in the aftermath. I don't know how they got there before we were goners. Your mysterious rescuer got to you well before that. We were taken to the Shinra mansion, and then Cloud here was given the SOLDIER program's Mako treatment. With a few extra modifications courtesy of Hojo; Jenova cells. I got 'em too, but he was absolutely obsessed with Cloud's potential, the one that took down the near invincible leader of SOLDIER. Cloud responded badly to the treatments and eventually Hojo ordered him destroyed. That was when I got the opportunity to get us out of there. We never realised how long that experimentation lasted, but there was Nibelheim, looking just as it had the day we arrived. At the time I wasn't about to stop for answers. We almost made it back to Midgar too; we were surprise attacked a few miles from Midgar. After all we'd been through, I was cut down by a squad of infantry. Cloud's lucky they just left him to die, rather then finishing him off right there. I'd already returned here..." 

He reached out and tousled Cloud's hair who put up a hand to stop him.

"Why... did you head for Midgar, rather then Gongaga?" Aeris asked.

"I-" Zack began before trailing off confused. "I... don't know. Strange now I think about it..."

"You felt pulled didn't you?" Realisation shot through Tifa. "You were being called to reunion, just like Cloud was."

The black-haired man nodded. "I never questioned it, I was just running. I never... thought that there could be anywhere else to go..."

Aeris looked at him sadly. "We met your parents by chance in Gongaga; they never found out what happened to you. I promise that once this is over I will put their minds at rest."

The older SOLDIER smiled sadly. "Thank you."

Tifa caught the blonde-haired man's eye, "Cloud, I'm sorry." He smiled.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just sorry I can't help with Sephiroth anymore."

"Thank you. Both." Aeris smiled at them in turn. "For everything."

Zack sighed and rose to his feet, Cloud stood beside him. "Well, I reckon you've got more people to see and things to learn, so we won't keep you any longer. Though... it's great to see how happy you make each other."

Both Tifa and Aeris couldn't help but smile at that. They spoke their goodbyes. The two SOLDIERs, however unusual their induction to the program had been, both saluted the seated girls and walked away, fading into the whiteness.


	26. A Moment of Information and Introduction

"And this time, whose parents? Yours or mine?" Aeris turned to look at Tifa with that smile again. She seemed at home here, and for a moment Tifa wondered if she'd prefer to stay here. The martial artist hastily put the thought out of her mind and replied.

"Yours." She was not quite ready to see her mother and father again. Aeris nodded and looked ahead of them. Tifa followed her gaze and saw two figures fade out of the endless white. A bespectacled man in a lab coat and a woman in a red dress walked towards them. As they drew close, the woman broke into a run and Aeris rose to her feet. Ifalna threw her arms around her daughter and hugged her tight.

"Oh, Aeris." She eventually released the girl and stood back looking at her. "How you've grown! I'm glad she was kind to you all these years..." She hugged her once more as Aeris laughed.

"You chose well mother. Mom was a wonderful choice."

"I didn't have any choice! I'm just glad it turned out okay." They gazed adoringly at each other, an unusual sight; the mother seemingly so close to her daughter's age, her hair braided the same way, the same flashing emerald eyes.

"Honey?" Ifalna called over her shoulder to the man who had seemed content to simply watch this reunion. "Come over here and say hello to your daughter!"

Gast seemed slightly embarrassed, but walked over as Ifalna released her daughter. "Father," smiled Aeris as she hugged him. He couldn't help but smile. "It's good to see you too!"

"It's great to finally meet you, my daughter," he replied. "I just wish we could have met under better circumstances."

"Hey! The only other time I could really see you again is after I returned to the Planet."

Gast laughed. "Sorry. Sorry. I just wish I could have been there for you all these years. I know it might confuse her, but please thank Elmyra for us both."

She smiled, "I will." She reached a hand down to Tifa and helped her to her feet. "Mother, Father, I want you to meet Tifa Lockhart." She couldn't keep the smile from her face, "My girlfriend."

Tifa felt a twinge of nervousness as Aeris spoke. Their friends were so accepting and they had suffered so little prejudice on their travels. But there was a annoying reminder in the back of her head about the perceived and unshakeable prejudices of the older generation. How would her own Father react? Her... Mother? Was she really going to be able to see her Mother again? She shook her head and smiled at the couple. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

She needn't have worried. They both smiled back at her, and Ifalna threw her arms around her. She felt... welcomed. This was not the nerve-wracking experience she'd read and heard so much about. "I'm so glad Aeris has found someone who makes her so happy," Ifalna released her and gazed into her eyes. "I wish you both all the best in the world."

"Thank you."

Gast sighed. "I hate to interrupt and spoil the mood, but your time here is not quite infinite, Aeris. You came here to seek answers I understand, and we shall try to provide you with as many as we can." He glanced around. "Shall we sit?"

The quartet sat on the cool grass, both couples together. Aeris cleared her throat. "I wish to know about the White Materia." 

Ifalna nodded and answered, "The White Materia contains a spell known as Holy. It is the only sphere of its kind on the Planet and the only method to counter Meteor that the Cetra know of."

"There could be other ways?" Tifa interrupted. Ifalna nodded.

"We cannot with any certainty deny there may be other ways to deal with the approaching Meteor, but those means and methods are beyond the knowledge of the Cetra." She paused, cocking her head to one-side as Aeris had so many times. "I see... There are other theories volunteered from within the Lifestream. The common suggested method is the use of an explosive force to destroy it, but the energy required..." She shook her head, "It's not certain where you could draw the power from."

"Someone above made that suggestion too, but it was deemed impractical in the time we have left. Why is the spell not taking effect?" Aeris leaned forward slightly. This was the fact they most urgently needed to learn. Ifalna looked troubled.

"There is a... force blocking the spell's effects."

"Sephiroth...?" Tifa breathed. Ifalna nodded.

"He truly has that kind of power?" Aeris asked.

"As far as any of us can tell. We're not certain if it's due to the Jenova cells within him, or the SOLDIER process... But while he lives he can actively suppresses the spell and Holy will not be able to counteract Meteor."

"If we... kill Sephiroth... will Meteor vanish?" the flower girl asked.

"We do not believe so. The spell summoned the wandering planet to us. Once it is too close the Planet's own gravity will draw it in. The destruction of Meteor is essential. Holy can accomplish this task if Sephiroth's influence can be removed."

Aeris sat silently digesting the information. 

"Who created the Black Materia?" Tifa asked suddenly. "It's hard to believe that any of the Cetra would have thought that a good idea." Ifalna turned to her.

"The crisis from the sky, the one you know as Jenova, crafted it in secret. The process of it's manufacture is unknown to us; he achieved the act in isolation before spreading the virus to the Cetra tribes. Jenova did not realise at that time where he would be best placed to cast the spell; he cannot hear the Planet as we do. The Cetra hounded him and chased him. They took the Materia from him upon Mount Nibel and cast him into a deep crevasse. The Planet sacrificed part of its healing energy to seal the rock around him."

Tifa was unable to repress the urge to ask her next question, "Why do you call Jenova 'him'?"

"He appeared to us in male form, but he has so many others." She tilted her head to one side. "Sephiroth's 'mother' is a creature beyond our knowledge. The Cetra had never encountered such a species before... I am not sure that it even remembers it's original form anymore..."

Tifa nodded, curiosity sated. Aeris spoke up, "Father, Mother, thank you. I consider myself highly fortunate to be able to meet you like this. But I'm afraid we must say goodbye for now."

"And we are so glad to see you like this." Ifalna leaned forward and embraced her daughter again, and then drew Tifa into her arms as well. "Please take care of my daughter and make her happy," she whispered into the martial artist's ear.

"I promise," she murmured back.

"Goodbye Aeris, goodbye Tifa." The lovers spoke their goodbyes in turn as Ifalna smiled at them both before she and Gast rose and walked away fading from sight. Aeris watched until they were gone and turned to Tifa. 

"I'm... a little nervous about this."

"So am I..."

"Are... you going to tell them about us?"

"I... I want to. How come you never asked me for your parents?"

Aeris smiled slightly, "I might have let something slip while were being recovered. They already knew. I'm sorry!"

The martial artist smiled and looking wary the Cetra continued. "Do you think they'll be... okay?"

Tifa paused, thinking. "Honestly? I never brought any kind of lover home when my father was alive. I... the... the town. They were pretty conservative. We knew about... people like us, but we were always told it was wrong and abnormal. So I apologise now if either of them say anything."

The flower girl nodded. "It'll... it'll be okay. You've... seen what went wrong when I met some of my older girlfriend's parents."

"But this time, we get to leave them behind and they can't do anything." 

Aeris grinned. "That's true..." She paused a moment and looked at Tifa, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be..."

Again two figures faded from the all encompassing white and walked towards them. Tifa gasped. She'd known she'd see them, but... To see her father again, stern and taciturn, and her gentle, shy mother... She would have never dreamed of meeting them like this. She stood and took a few faltering steps forward. "Papa. Momma!"

"T-Tifa?" her mother stuttered, stumbling forward to embrace her. "Oh my girl. Look how you've grown!" She smiled at the similarity to Ifalna's comment, and then something broke within her and her eyes filled with tears. Tifa clutched tightly at her mother; she stayed silent and simply held her. At length they parted and Tifa turned to her father, hugging him desperately. 

"It's so good to see you both."

"Our family is reunited once again." Her father smiled, linking his hand with his wife's.

"Just for now. I... I have to go back."

"You can leave here?"

Tifa's heart sank slightly. "I... I can. We just came here to find some things out... the whole Planet's in danger." Her father watched her curiously. "A-and... I wanted you to meet... someone."

Her mouth was moving faster then her brain. Hadn't she intended to sound out her parents before revealing her relationship to them? She couldn't stop now. She backed away from her father and reached for her girlfriend's hand. "Papa, Momma, I want you to meet Aeris Gainsborough. She's... she's my... girl... friend." The last word was almost a whisper, every impulse watching for the reaction behind her parent's eyes as the words sank in. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs. Lockhart," Aeris smiled nervously at both parents; she could read the mood just as easily as her partner.

Her father's eyes narrowed and her heart sank further. "'Girlfriend,'" he echoed. "Some friend of yours you've dragged here with you?" He suspected already, he just wanted confirmation from her own lips. She swallowed.

"No. Not just a friend. I... I love her." His expression said it all. What had she expected? She tried to be pragmatic. He was from a small town in the mountains. You got married, you settled down, you had kids and they in turn had more kids. That was the way of life forever more; to deviate from that... But she had so vainly hoped that he would be more open minded then she remembered, or that maybe being part of the Lifestream had given him a more open outlook on life. But no. She had brought her first partner home to the shame of her parents. Her mother seemed unable to speak, her gaze flicking between the two and their clasped hands.

"Is this how you spend your life now? As a deviant?" He was angry, opening his mouth to speak again before cutting himself off. "I have no daughter," he growled and turned, striding away. Tifa could feel tears forming in her eyes again. Her mother turned to follow, taking a few faltering steps before stopping.

"Wait."

Her father stopped at his wife's voice, but did not turn back. Her mother returned to where Tifa stood. She nervously reached out a tentative hand to both of theirs.

"Are you both... happy?"

They nodded. "Do you care for each other?" Another nod. "You truly love one another?"

"Yes," they said in unison, both beginning to smile despite the atmosphere. Tifa's mother sighed, "I... This is difficult for me. What you are doing is contrary to everything my parents, my friends have believed through their entire lives. But... I am no longer alive. You are an adult, and I have no say in what my baby does anymore. If... Aeris makes you happy... I can't pretend I am comfortable with the idea, but as long as you are happy, I shall try to be. I love you, Tifa." She turned to Aeris, "Please, make my daughter happy."

The flower girl smiled back. "I will."

"Thank you. Live well, both of you, and I understand I will see you again, eventually?"

"Yes," said Tifa, eyes still watery. "Goodbye Momma."

Her mother reached out to stroke her cheek, "Goodbye Tifa. Goodbye Aeris."

She gave them both a smile and waved goodbye, walking away from them and fading from view. Her father still stood with his back to them. He sighed suddenly, "She's right. She's right. Who am I to judge you anymore? As your mother said, if you are happy, we shall try to be. There's no sense dictating you do something that will make you miserable. Please, live and be happy." He turned and forced himself to smile. "I love you too, Tifa."

"I love you Papa."

With a curt wave, he too walked away and vanished from sight. Aeris breathed a sigh of relief and Tifa couldn't help but grin at her. "That... didn't go great, but was better then I feared."

Her girlfriend smiled back, "Regardless, thank you for letting me meet them. And for introducing me to them properly."

"And thank you for the same."

Aeris looked straight up into the endless white. "I think its about time we got back out of here, don't you?"

"Unfortunately. It is nice here."

"We'll return here. One day."

"When we're old and grey?"

"I would love that."

 

Her head broke the surface of the water, drawing a massive breath into her lungs as Aeris surfaced beside her. A head poked up over the edge of the platform. "There you are," sighed Yuffie. "You've been gone hours."

"Sorry Yuffie," Tifa found herself grinning.

"I suppose I should get you out..." She reached down a hand to Aeris, helping her scramble up and then threw a towel over her. "Did you at least find out what you needed to?" she asked as she helped Tifa up. "Did... was Cloud there?" she added.

"He was. I'm sorry Yuffie." Aeris smiled gently at the ninja who looked crestfallen. "He had a reply for you though; he asked that you try to forget about him and live your life. But if you can't... He'll see you when you return to the Planet."

"Kinda difficult to know what to say to that..." Yuffie replied. "I think I need a minute..." She wandered a short distance away from the other two and gazed up towards the city above them. "Meteor?" she eventually asked with a slightly strangled voice.

"Our only hope to stop Meteor is to confront, and defeat, Sephiroth."


	27. A Moment in a Changed Form

They spent the night in the City, retreating back to the dwelling Tifa had fitfully tried to sleep that night before... before she saved her. She clung to that fact even as the might have beens threatened to overwhelm her once again; that night she had saved the one she loved. They retired to bed early, the lovers cramming themselves into a single bunk without a word of complaint. It was the soundest sleep she'd ever experienced, and she awoke the next morning ready for anything. Yuffie had fared less well sadly, the knowledge of Cloud's passing weighing on her. They retraced their steps North, feeling so much more intimate in their trio then they had when they had taken this route before, Cloud Strife bound and watched for signs of aggression. They were ready for the falling snow this time and changed into the thicker clothing from their packs.

Yuffie was unnaturally quiet for the first day; brooding and thoughtful. Tifa found it slightly odd that she and Aeris were coping better with the loss of their friend then the ninja; but then, they had talked to Cloud after his passing the previous day. The former SOLDIER was indeed gone from the world, but to her it didn't feel like he'd been lost; the Planet had caught him and now took care of him like so many others in the Lifestream. On the second day Yuffie broke the silence as they walked to request a funeral for Cloud Strife. Neither of the lovers could see a reason to protest; it was a fitting idea for their fallen comrade and would help the ninja gain closure.

Tseng waited for them at the outskirts of the resort town a few days later; they'd made much better progress through the mountain passes, the route now familiar to them. "I have been asked that you contact Highwind. He and the rest of your friends are currently en route here."

"It's good to see you too Tseng," retorted Aeris with a grin.

"I will save my pleasantries for when I can no longer see the end of the world in the sky." He left them with that, as Tifa fumbled her phone and called Cid.

"-o, look, you three can tag along, but you're not allowed on the bridge." Cid's crackly voice sounded in her ear.

"Hello?" she ventured.

"Look, just get out. Hi, Tifa. Sorry 'bout that. The Turks have been making a nuisance of themselves."

She blinked. "You're bringing the Turks with you?"

"Yeah... kinda a condition on Rufus' part for letting us pull this stunt with their Huge Materia. They came in handy actually when we had to sneak it out of Fort Condor and Junon."

"Well, that's good I suppose."

"Hey, I think saving the world first is our first priority. We'll deal with Shinra afterwards."

Tifa sighed, "You're right."

"So... ah, did Aeris find out anything?"

"She did. We will have to defeat Sephiroth before we can stop Meteor."

Cid cursed, "Figures. Picked up Nanaki as well; he reckons we've got about a week left before impact."

"A week," she breathed. A last week on the Planet.

"Yeah, though as far as he can tell, the sooner we stop it the better. That's one hell of a big rock up there."

"When will you be here?"

"Well, if we fly overnight, we should be there by morning." 

She paused a moment, thinking through her words. "Do... do you think we can try and get through the barrier as soon as you get here?"

She heard a snort on the other hand. "Aside from me being as grouchy as hell, I can't see a problem."

"Cid, I know it might be tempting to think we have a week left before the end, but I... I think we should make our attempt as soon as possible. If we succeed then as Nanaki said it would be best. And if we fail... we'll have only lost a few days."

The pilot was silent a moment. "Maybe damned if we do, definitely damned if we don't. I say go for it."

 

It was in the early hours of the morning they heard the whine of the Highwind's rotors as the massive airship swung low over the settlement and settled onto the snowfield nearby. There was troubling new; despite being dispatched by the Mako cannon, one of the Weapons had mounted an assault on Junon, and another had been wiping out the Shinra's submarine forces.

Tseng looked coolly at Aeris after relating the news, "If, as we have been lead to believe, the Weapons were created in response to Jenova's presence, then will the death of Sephiroth also halt their destruction?"

"I don't know," she sighed in response. "I hope so. Remember that these creations were never previously utilised; Jenova was sealed before they awakened."

"I am not sure we could cope if they do not stop. The Mako cannon while effective at dispatching one of the Weapons is not a mobile weapon and Rufus is loathe to simply hope the other four will blunder towards Junon as well. A lot is riding on this." He boarded the Highwind with the trio as the airship set off towards the crater. Avalanche reunited warmly, trying to ignore the sarcastic looks from Reno.

"So..." Cid glanced around at the assembled party. "How're we doing this?"

"Based on some very rough calculations, it would be preferable to plant the devices equidistant around the crater rim," Reeve was leafing through a bulky binder of notes. "If the math is correct, the force of the simultaneous explosions will disrupt the field."

"Permanently?" asked Tseng with narrowed eyes.

"...hopefully," Reeve admitted with a grimace. "It may only disrupt the field for a brief period. In which case," he glanced up at Cid, "We'll be relying on your expertise to get us through before it reforms."

"And the crater wall..." The head of the Turks was still looking at Reeve. "You're certain that this explosion will only disrupt the field and not collapse the crater? We have few enough resources as it is. We do not have the time or resources to dig through debris. As it is, we're unsure of how easily we will be able to gain access to Sephiroth's lair."

Reeve cursed. "I don't know. We have no geological survey of this area, we don't know what the cliffs are made of or have any kind of explosion simulations... But I'm out of ideas."

"I would suggest that we try one of the devices at a time-" Tseng began.

"But that isn't enough to damage the field..."

"But we will be able to observe if the crater wall can tolerate the blast without flooding the interior with rubble."

"Well, yes. Great. And then we can just sit around and look at the crater until Meteor comes crashing down." Reeve scratched his head in exasperation.

"Excuse me." The gentle voice cut across the argument and everyone turned to where Aeris was crouched beside the explosive devices. "I think there's another way..." She stood up and looked to Reeve and Tseng. "I can use the materia to destroy the barrier."

 

Aeris gently laid the last of the four crystals on the deck and knelt between them. Ahead of her lay the shimmering dome of the energy field that protected the North Crater. She glanced up at Tifa who was watching as her hand brushed against each irregularly shaped crystal in turn. The flower girl frowned as she made contact with the red shard and carefully lifted it from the deck, her expression softening into a smile.

"Here." She held it out to her girlfriend.

"Aeris?"

"I need you to help me; I need you to perform a summoning for me."

Tifa was stunned; she had not anticipated playing any part in this plan. "But I'm not sure I can... I mean I've never tried to summon anything..."

"Tifa." Her soft voice made the raven-haired girl look up. "You can do it, I have every faith in you." She looked wistful. "This spell does not yet have a form. I would like you to shape it for me. I would like you to imagine a creature of destruction." 

"That's it? That's all I have to do?"

Aeris nodded. "And I'll be here with you the whole time."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Tifa swallowed and hefted the crystal, the light catching in its myriad facets. "Okay. I'm ready."

Aeris flashed her a quick smile and then turned her attention to the green crystal in front of her. Inevitably, Tifa found her gaze once again drawn to the distant Meteor. It had grown, as if they needed any reminder of the time they had remaining to stop it. It now appeared to be a larger than the moon, now visibly wreathed in a fiery red corona that only added to its threat.

A brilliant flash of green light drew her attention. Aeris had placed both hands on the green crystal, her mouth whispering something too low for Tifa to catch. The light flared within the crystal, growing brighter. Energy crackled across the shard, flickering and sparking around the Cetra's hands. With her eyes closed she carefully reached with her left hand to the yellow crystal. The energy traced the path as her hand moved and with a sudden shudder began flowing into the yellow crystal. Light began to build within this shard too as she reached her right hand to the purple crystal. 

Carefully the flower girl stood, energies racing from the three crystals into her hands and body. Slowly the brunette reached out with her right hand, touching first the raven-haired girl's shoulder before she traced her arm down to the red crystal her partner cradled in her arms. The shards of giant materia pulsed as energy rushed through Aeris and into the final crystal. A glow developed deep within the final shard.

"Tifa, please summon it."

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Yuffie had been always quick to comment on the practical mechanics of magic use, but to summon a creature had always unnerved Tifa slightly. She hated seeing the others doing it, especially Aeris; her body would lock rigidly in place while her mind seemed... gone until the creature had faded to nothing once more. She had gathered the process was painful, or at least not an experience to be relished. The spells were always a last resort, a discomforting final hope.

Picture... a creature of destruction. Something that could produce and direct energy she supposed; a new form designed to unleash terrible power. Something that can focus energy to one spot and shatter that shimmering and seemingly intangible dome. Forms seemed to evade her as she desperately turned her thoughts inward. The half-glimpsed forms of Weapons flicked past in her memory, the ice goddess that Vincent had chosen to call forth, the water serpent that meant so much to Yuffie and her family. Choose a form...

The dragon. She thought of the dragon that Barret had called upon in the City. No, something more powerful, something larger. Her mind raced as her creation took shape; a larger dragon, formed from elemental materials like the Weapons. It would have a pale skin like the ice-goddess, the head she borrowed from the water serpent, and she gave it three sets of wings to keep it aloft. It would be something harder than diamond, a creature of beauty and grace. The form hung in the darkness behind her eyes for a moment.

It was done, and then the darkness began to lessen.

It was like tendrils of thick smoke streaming away before her, and she felt powerful. Her eyes came into focus as she beat her wings. Wings? She could see the ground and her mind reeled. She was miles above the North Crater; she could just about make out the Highwind beside it so far below. She was falling... no, not falling. She was flying. She was the summoned creature. She flicked her head from around to try and catch a glimpse of her new form; metallic wings flapping behind her, a tail flicking from side to side. Was this what the summoners experienced? How could they treat it as such a burden, this change in shape, change in everything? She wanted to fly far, to encircle the world, sweep gracefully over the globe and revel in her freedoms...

That had to be it. That was the pain. Not the experience of controlling these forms, but giving them up again afterwards, to return to the confines and limitations of a human body, stuck to the ground after being able to wheel freely through the sky and direct their devastating powers against their enemies. This would indeed be hard to give up. She was low down now, the North Crater seemingly shockingly close. Her wings flapped faster trying to hold her in place as she prepared herself. Her gaze flicked towards the nearby Highwind and she locked eyes with Aeris Gainsborough. The flower girl stood calmly beside... Tifa Lockhart. She gazed in amazement at her frozen body, before her attention flicked back to her girlfriend. Her lover was smiling at her, and nodded ever so gently. That was why she would return to her body. As wonderful as this experience was, it didn't quite compare to holding her in her arms.

She faced forward, gazing at the dome, and beyond it into the deep spiralling hole that had wrecked the crater. Her wings beat furiously, and a nagging itch was starting to build at the back of her head. She realised she was running out of time. She beat her wings as she concentrated, no time to marvel at how her new body responded without conscious effort. She felt the energy surge build within her, and found her mouth yawning wide. The itch became a throb of pain, and she hoped that this would not last much longer. The energy built... and she released it.

The beam of energy exploded out of her mouth in a tight burst, smashing down onto the shimmering dome, causing it to flicker and appear to grow more solid. The energy poured out of her, the entire dome now visible as a dark yellow shimmer. It began to thicken at the point of impact as a a second burst began forming in her chest. With a scream of pain she found her mouth forced wider still as the new pulse erupted from her throat accompanied by the terrible roar of her creation. The pulse pierced the barrier; the energy plunging into the crater below and carving a deep gouge in the rock wall as the barrier began to dissipate in a widening circle from the the point of impact.

Her head throbbed with pain, her chest and throat burned like fire, but she looked down at the results of her work and felt proud. But... how did she now return? Yuffie had said nothing about the afterwards of these spells. She began to panic, wondering if there was something she had to do, some action to perform to release her from this form and return her to her old. The pain was unbearable now, even the daylight began to hurt her eyes, desperately wanting to bring her claws up to her face and scratch at the incessant itching. Welcoming blackness suddenly enveloped her and the pain melted away. Her wings were gone too; she would miss them. Her arms grew heavy and she found herself stumbling backwards, Aeris frantically clutching at her to keep her from falling to the deck. 

Her girlfriend got a grip on her as they slumped back onto the deck. Tifa realised she was panting hard, and with an alarming clunk, the giant red crystal she had been cradling slid off of her and onto the deck. Her breath caught in her throat, but to her relief it did not shatter. The flower girl's arms were around her, and she was whispering excitedly at her girlfriend's achievements. She allowed herself a moment with her eyes closed, simply enjoying the embrace before she looked forward. 

The North Crater lay exposed, tendrils of smoke and steam twisting up from deep within. Their path into the interior of the Planet and to Sephiroth had been opened.


	28. A Moment Before the Descent

They gathered at twilight on a snowy field outside Icicle Inn; eight of them clustered around the hastily carved stone with the Buster Sword plunged into the freezing ground. The stone said, in inexpertly carved letters, 'In Loving Memory of Cloud Strife, SOLDIER.' The Highwind had fallen back to Icicle Inn to prepare for the descent, and there Tifa finally related the truth of Nibelheim to their assembled companions and the vital role Cloud played in the earlier defeat of Sephiroth. After catching Yuffie's eye, Aeris quietly suggested they hold a funeral for their fallen companion. Cid had muttered that it would take too long to return to Nibelheim all things considered, but Tifa shook her head at the idea.

"That's not his home. Not anymore. We'll hold the ceremony at here."

 

"We are gathered here to honour the memory of Cloud Strife, former SOLDIER, member of Avalanche and dear friend. It was my privilege to meet Cloud and embark on this journey across the Planet with him and all of you. Thanks to him we met and we were all drawn together to stand against Sephiroth and to fight for the future of our world. While our mission is not yet complete, we promise you Cloud that we will finish what you began and save the Planet. One day we will meet again when we all too will return to the Planet." Aeris turned to Tifa.

"Thank you, Aeris." She stepped forward to speak. "As you all know I have known Cloud since childhood. I owe him so many apologies for my past behaviour, especially in light of his heroism at challenging and defeating Sephiroth five years ago." She smiled down at the grave. "Cloud, if you can hear me, thank you once again for keeping your promise when I was in trouble. I hope you experience nothing but peace in the Lifestream until we are all reunited." She stepped closer to the flower girl and took her hand.

The other members of Avalanche each spoke in turn, thanking Cloud for the part he played in their lives; Yuffie tried to smile despite her tears recalling their date at the Gold Saucer, Barret gruffly insisted he would use the money he should have paid to the ex-SOLDIER to help any survivors of Sector Seven. Cid thanked him for getting him out of his rut in Rocket Town, and Vincent likewise thanked him for freeing him from the confines of his coffin. Nanaki thanked him for assisting with his escape from the Shinra building and Reeve apologised again for his former treachery, vowing to dedicate himself and any of Shinra he could influence to undoing his employer's destructive acts. The sun slowly sank, plunging the landscape into a darkening gloom. 

Aeris' smile widened slightly as they took their leave of the graveside and strolled back towards the waiting Highwind. She leaned her head to Tifa's and whispered, "Cloud is slightly embarrassed but grateful for everything we said."

The martial artist looked back in surprise. "He was watching? I thought... Well, since my parents had no idea what was happening up here..."

She received a smile in response. "It was at a special request from me. One last chance to see us all. I'm glad he took it."

"Me too."

 

In the dwindling twilight Aeris addressed the assembled members of Avalanche.

"We've come so far together. The crater is now open and we have our opportunity to defeat Sephiroth. I love you all dearly but cannot ask you to put your lives at risk. I welcome anyone who wants to stand with me, but it must be on your own terms and for your own reasons. Tonight I beg you all to make your peace if you can and talk to your loved ones. If you can find no reason to face Sephiroth then there is no obligation to return." She smiled at them. "I thank you for helping me get this far."

The crew, The Turks and Avalanche descended to the resort town below, vanishing into the darkening evening and the falling snow. Tifa sat alone on the bridge, staring out into the dark sky and spiralling snow-flakes. Aeris had insisted she would be back momentarily, but the martial artist would not bear a grudge if her partner spent the night elsewhere. She still had a family; Reeve had provided the flower girl with the contact number for Elmyra and Marlene's house in Kalm, she and Barret had set out to make the call together. Was she then the one who had truly no one else? She could have gone to talk to Barret's daughter; the offer had been made, but she felt she was intruding into the other two's potentially final moments. 

She frowned then. Where had Vincent gone? The man's history was still a mystery to them all; he did not wish to speak about it. They knew it was inextricably bound up with both Hojo and Sephiroth, but that was the limit unless he eventually chose to open up further. Hopefully he had someone, or something he would fight for. Nanaki had Cosmo Canyon and his grandfather, Yuffie would contact her father in Wutai or perhaps return to the Cloud's grave and Cid she hoped would speak in nicer tones to Shera, if just this once. Reeve, she knew so little about; with the end of the world hanging above them, there had been little time to get to know that man behind the cat. Once a traitor always a traitor? She could see him not returning in the morning. The Turks... Tifa found herself smiling. If one of them returned, all of them would. That group was far too tightly-knit to let one individual fall behind.

"Hey." 

She looked up, aware she had been day-dreaming. Aeris had walked back onto the bridge and was smiling at her. She smiled back. "Hey. Did you... talk to your mother?"

The flower girl nodded. "Not as long as I wanted to, but I thought Barret needed more time to talk to Marlene. She was asking after you as well; I told her you were doing fine." She sat carefully down beside her girlfriend. "Are you sure you don't want to talk to her?"

Tifa shook her head. "It would have been nice, but I wouldn't want to intrude on Barret tonight. I'll talk to her afterwards I'm sure."

"You can leave too, if you'd like," the Cetra murmured after a moment's silence. The martial artist turned to her looking startled.

"What do you mean?"

"You've done so much for me Tifa. What happens next is really no one's responsibility but mine." She reached for Tifa's hand and laced their fingers together. "I don't want anything to happen to you. You've faced Sephiroth more then anyone else already. I..." She trailed off. "I want you at least have to live on."

Tifa shook her head. "There's nothing else for me. No one to say goodbye to, nowhere to go. I'm an orphan, Nibelheim is some grotesque reconstruction of my home and my oldest friend has returned to the Planet. There is nowhere I would rather be or even could be than right here with you. If anything I don't want you to face Sephiroth; I'm not going anywhere."

Aeris' face broke into a smile. "Oh Tifa..." She shuffled closer, slipping her arm around her waist. They stayed silent for a moment, enjoying the other's warmth. "Then we promise to keep each other safe?"

"Agreed."

"And we will live through this to be together?"

"Yes!"

"Thank you for staying. Even if it's just us I will happily go to face him with you by my side."

"Aeris?" The brunette looked at her. "You couldn't drag me away from this moment and this mission." She nuzzled at Aeris' neck as a thought struck her. "You know... we're all alone here..." A smile grew on her girlfriend's face.

"Why Tifa Lockhart... I'm not sure what you're implying..."

"Well... if you would like to take a walk to our cabin I could demonstrate. Hopefully it will be a pleasant distraction until morning... One last time..."

They rose, walking hand in hand through the echoing hold of the empty vessel. Aeris' gaze roamed across the craft, taking in every detail and committing it all to memory as if... as if she might not have another chance. It was possible they would fail tomorrow. It was possible that Sephiroth would cut them down before they could do anything. It didn't seem to matter; their deaths would come only a short time before the death of the Planet... but that was reason enough for their actions. They could run and hide while Meteor hurtled towards them, or they could take the fight to the cause, and at least try to halt it. Whatever occurred tomorrow, for tonight they were still alive and still in love.

They were unusually chaste as they walked, hand in hand, and even as Aeris pushed the door to, the frantic lusts that had ensnared them on other occasions were subdued and diminished. They kissed tenderly, embracing and undressing unhurriedly. They lay themselves gently onto the bunk and made love. Would this be the last time Tifa lay with Aeris like this? Would she never experience this pleasure again? And what if she survived, but her partner fell tomorrow? What would that be like for ever after? What if she fell and Aeris was left alone? No... she couldn't think like this now. She had to make the most of this, to savour this experience. She forced the thoughts from her mind, and devoted her full attention to her lover. Tonight she was determined to simply love Aeris. 

 

They dozed in contented pleasure, Aeris sighing with delight as she nestled closer to Tifa. They could see out into the dark sky through the porthole and watched as the snow danced in and out of view. The airship was unusually silent around them; they were far too used to the constant whirring of the propellers and the hum of the electrical systems.

"Aeris?" Tifa spoke at last, breaking the silence, "Do you think any of them will come back?"

Her girlfriend turned to face her. "I really don't know. I can think of no other companions I would rather have for what we're about to do, but I can't make that choice for them. I have a feeling that Yuffie at least will come back, but if need be, it really will be just the two of us climbing down in the morning."

"You'd better not run off in the middle of the night this time."

Aeris giggled. "I won't. I'm not leaving this bed without you, Tifa Lockhart."

"And neither will I, Aeris Gainsborough."

They smiled and brought their lips together once more.


	29. A Moment with Those Who Fight

Tifa could not believe she ever could have doubted her companions when they all presented themselves the next morning, ready and willing to descend into the depths of the Planet. They set out from the Highwind at first light, leaving the Turks ready to ferry the Huge Materia to Rocket Town if they should fail for one last desperate chance. Reeve asked to accompany Avalanche to face Sephiroth; he would not say what his reason to fight was, but had armed himself with a shotgun and was determined to play his part at the end. Whatever their former opinion of the man and his actions, none was willing to refuse his request.

Tifa and Aeris were the last to make their descent, taking a moment together to watch the sun rise slightly higher, the moon fade to invisibility, and to see for the last time the sight they hoped would soon be gone; the flaming red sphere of Meteor. The flower girl took one last look at the Highwind and then they entered the crater for the second time. Damp heat pulsed up from somewhere deep below, and they could see the green glow of Mako in the depths. Whatever processes had been reforming the land were now gone; the rock was lifeless and static. Maybe once this Meteor was destroyed this wound would once again begin healing. If not it would be a stark and permanent reminder of the actions of Jenova on their world.

They scrambled down the shattered walls of the crater gradually descending into the depths. The trek was exhausting as they leapt wide gaps and pools of Mako. Tifa almost voiced the question of how they expected to get back out of the crater, before swallowing the question back realising the question was a luxury no one would allow themselves yet. If they could defeat Sephiroth, that would be the time for speculation. They spiralled downwards, Yuffie and Vincent flitting ahead with ease and trying to relate the easiest paths through the uneven terrain that lead into the depths of the Planet. How far down would their target be she wondered as Avalanche descended taking with them the bare minimum of their equipment, each with their own small cache of powerful materia.

 

The crater depths held strange examples of primitive life from long ago, glaring at the party from crevices and side-tunnels as they passed. Strange flora sprouted and grew in small caverns, sights she suspected no one else had ever seen. The land had stopped growing, but this place was still full of life. Time lost meaning as they descended; watches had locked in place when they entered the crater, they paused to eat and rest at intervals, snatching sleep as they could while their dreams filled with uncomfortable visions, though none they were able to elaborate on. Exhaustion dogged them as they lost sight of the surface high above them. How far down had they gone and how long did they have left? 

Their trail eventually ended at a ledge of rock suspended over a cavern of unknown size. Mako pulsed and flowed beneath in rivers and streams that arced through the void. A thin stream of mist was exuded up from far below drifting up until it was lost high above them. Below them, floating seemingly impossibly in the stream and tendrils of Mako, were a descending set of massive rocky slabs. From what she could see they would just about be able to leap between them and carry on moving down. Getting back up however...

"This is the route to the centre of the Planet?" Nanaki queried, peering over the rocky ledge into the depths below.

"Seems like it," Cid responded, glaring back up the way we came.

Yuffie was the first one to lower herself gingerly down onto the rock platform that hung below them. It took her weight and did not move; via whatever means it stood as static as though lying flat on the ground, seemingly similar to the architectural impossibilities they had glimpsed in the Cetra City.

"This is kinda disturbing," was the ninja's sole comment on the floating rock. She nimbly leaped forward and down to the next rock. They descended, down ever deeper into the Planet. The path they had followed was now lost between flickering and shifting walls of Mako streams. Their seeming destination floated ahead of them; a rough sphere fused out of sections of unfamiliar architecture, rock and materia. There was nothing beyond it, no more platforms to scramble to, nothing but the swirling vortexes all around them. Aeris was the last to land on the uneven ground, as the others looked for any sign of their enemy, or even a way forward. There was none.

"Well, what do we do now?" yelled Barret. "You want us to just leap over the side and see if he's down there?"

"I don't know," Tifa scowled with frustration, tired and irritable. They'd made this journey with a single, simple goal in mind; it had never occurred to them they might not be able to reach their objective, or that this was not the route that would lead them to him. What had she done bringing them all down here? Was there any way back up? Yuffie she knew had a rope and a grappling hook. That at least offered them a possible way out...

A chill laughter cut through the air, Tifa feeling the horribly familiar prickle of fear settle over her. Sephiroth... The ground beneath them shook and split; rock shards separated out, materia cracked and then they were falling. Yuffie swung her rope uselessly, already too far from the rock platform to catch hold of it. They plummeted into the streaming green, into the heart of the Lifestream. There would be no coming back.

 

Tifa slammed down onto a rocky platform awkwardly. How far had they fallen? She couldn't begin to guess or extrapolate, but thankfully they were all impossibly alive. A fall of that duration should have been all of their ends. She froze as she looked around. The Lifestream pulsed all around them, the normally brilliantly glowing substance now a darkened dull green; as if looking up from the depths of the ocean. A man with silver hair regarded them with patient, amused malice. And beyond him... There was a rough sphere of red rock; it floated beyond Sephiroth and was filled with a pure white light.

"Holy," breathed Aeris. "The spell... we can see it."

Tifa stared at the glow. This... man in front of him; he was holding back the spell through the sheer effort of his will, preventing the only thing they knew that would be able to save the life of the Planet. They stood staring at SOLDIER before them.

"I suppose I should congratulate you all for simply getting this far." He spoke abruptly, his voice finally matching to that from Tifa's memories. This then was the true Sephiroth, not some Jenova constructed copy. "You have gone to a lot of effort to disrupt our plans."

"Sephiroth," she hissed. "We're not finished yet."

"Oh I had hoped not." That mocking grin painted his face once more. "I would like some... entertainment while I await my destiny." His left hand raised the Masamune up and he pounced, the blade sweeping towards Reeve who fumbled with his shotgun, trying to bring it up to block, or to bear on Sephiroth. A whirling shuriken connected and knocked the blade away from the former executive, who rolled awkwardly and squeezed the trigger. The shot went wide as Sephiroth was already darting towards Cid, who blocked the sword blow with the shaft of his spear. The man in black rained down blows, before the thunder of fire-arms sounded; Reeve, Vincent and Barret began firing. Cid knocked the Masamune back and scrambled away as the SOLDIER swept his sword through the air in front of him, catching and deflecting bullets. 

Reeve scrambled to load more shells, as Yuffie sent another shuriken whirling towards the silver-haired man. A flick of the Masamune knocked it harmlessly away, but the action allowed Nanaki to close on him and leap onto his back. His front claws sank into the SOLDIER's shoulders as his back legs kicked savagely. With a snarl, Sephiroth span, flicking the Masamune back over his shoulder and forcing Nanaki to detach. The quadruped hit the ground at a sprint, and began looking for another opening. Tifa took advantage of the action to rush their enemy and sent a fist barrelling towards Sephiroth's solar plexus. He scowled and brought the sword curving back over his head and down towards her. 

She'd had years to consider how best to cope if she ever faced Sephiroth again, from her younger nightmares to the days leading up to this final fight. This time she was determined to rely solely on her own fists and not use his own sword against him. She side-stepped the blow, her fist smashing into his face. With a snarl he lashed out with his right hand. She almost avoided the blow that clipped her and she was sent stumbling.

There was a flicker of light to her left; Yuffie was clutching a red materia and concentrating. Sephiroth caught the flash too, but rather then lunge for the ninja, he paused, smiling that horrible, cold smile. The others pressed their advantage, drawing red and green spheres from pouches and triggering the spells. 

One by one the materia orbs abruptly darkened. The ninja's eyes snapped open in confusion. 

"What?"

She concentrated again; once more the orb brightened and then suddenly darkened. With mounting horror she lifted her head to look at Sephiroth. He gazed back at her amused. "He's... he's blocking our spells..." she whispered. A horrible knot of fear formed up in Tifa's stomach. He had blocked access to their most potent of weapons; their materia was no more useful then a collection of stones. He chuckled once more and then attacked.

Sephiroth ran forward fast, Tifa scrambled up from the rock she had fallen on. He was heading for Aeris, his sword raised, and now swinging down towards her. Her body wouldn't move fast enough as she struggled to her feet. 

She couldn't make it. 

"Aeris!" she shouted.

The sound of metal striking metal resounded around that space and Tifa looked on in astonishment; Aeris had brought her staff up and had blocked the Masamune's blade. With a snarl, Sephiroth whipped the blade back and slashed at the flower girl again. With a quick pivot, she blocked the incoming blow. And then they danced; the Masamune flashing in the green light as the man tried to score a hit on her most precious companion, the one he knew would cause the greatest hurt if she fell. But she kept up with him, never attacking, always defending, always blocking and deflecting his blows. Of course. Why else would she carry that staff? How else had she coped for so long and so easily in the slums of Sector Five? Aeris was not the helpless damsel in distress so many assumed. She felt ready to fight again.

She cleared the distance easily, fist balled and flowing through the air towards Sephiroth's head. His blade had just connected with Aeris' staff once more. Tifa's punch missed; Sephiroth flung himself backwards and she stumbled through the space he had occupied. Again she felt the sting of impossibility at defeating this thing. There was the sound of tearing and a black feathered wing burst from Sephiroth's back, scattering dark feathers into the air. She stared at him as she fell to the ground in front of her partner.

"Enough entertainment," he grinned coldly at them. "Time to die."

He swept his hand in an arc and suddenly the martial artist found herself falling. She saw Aeris slump heavily onto the rock platform they had been fighting on, and with a sick shock she realised she was falling away from it. Was there anything below them? They were in the centre of the Planet; there would be nothing but Mako to fall into. She struggled, trying to turn herself as she fell. She caught a last despairing glimpse of the Cetra looking at her as the rock cut off all sight of her.

She fell. This was it.

"Tifa!" A voice yelled. Just below her she could see Barret. He must have fallen before her, perched now on a floating of island of rock. He desperately held out his hand as the raven-haired plummeted. She had one chance. She stretched her hand out, fingers itching to grasp something. With a sudden shock of pressure, and an overwhelming feeling of relief he caught her. As she moved past him, he let the motion carry his arm round. Suddenly his muscles were tensing and she arced upwards. He let go and she was flung upwards. Her inertia started reducing just as she saw Cid make a perilous leap onto the nearest rock outcrop to her. He thrust his spear out just as her momentum gave out, and she barely dropped onto the wooden shaft. With a grunt he pulled the spear up and towards him as Tifa crouched and pushed off as hard as she could.

A sudden impact on her back shocked her for a second before she felt the arm around her waist. Yuffie had swung down from her own vantage point, clinging to a hooked rope, and she was now racing up the rock cliff face. She reached her zenith and with a push delivered her within reach of Reeve who had been reaching down. He grasped her hand and pulled her up, falling away from her back towards the ledge he was on. The martial artist cartwheeled over his head and down towards Nanaki. The red-coloured creature flipped onto his back as she fell towards him, his back legs coiled up. Tifa's feet impacted neatly onto the pads of his feet and with a surge of speed he kicked her upward.

She looked up. The main rock platform drew ever closer. She could only hope she would be on time. A flicker of movement revealed Vincent leaping in a near impossible arc towards her. He took her hand with his own, suddenly sinking his claw into the cliff. His seemingly frail body suddenly heaved and she was thrown upward once more. "Fly," she thought she heard as he dropped below her. She passed the rock platform, arcing neatly up and above it. She gasped. Sephiroth was ascending, a pulsing purple glow suffusing his chest. The Black Materia...

There was a blur of pink below her. Aeris dropped onto her knees and braced herself, her staff held out ready. Ready to give her her last push. Tifa crashed down onto the staff. The flower girl gasped at the forces now being exerted, but held on. She strained, pushing Tifa up. She jumped. And she flew.

She caught up to him. He was unfazed by her friend's actions and the fact that she now faced him. Cold calculating eyes regarded her. Of course he could wait for her to fall back and pick her off at his leisure. But Sephiroth's cruel streak was irrepressible. He did not simply want them dead, he wanted them to suffer first. 

The Masamune blade's flashed towards her. 

Tifa brought her hands together.

Cold fury now broke out on Sephiroth's face. The thrust that should have impaled and mortally wounded her had been arrested by her gloved hands. Tifa gritted her teeth as she tightened her grip around the blade. She let her momentum carry her feet and legs up as she hung onto the sword. She arced her body over, turning through the air and brought both her feet down onto Sephiroth's chest, pushing him back towards the platform. His singular wing fluttered uselessly as she pushed. His grip on the Masamune loosened and she completed her pivot, bringing the sword back over her head. The silver-haired man's face just showed astonishment at what had happened, that he could be resisted thus. With a heave, Tifa sent the Masamune spinning away into the void. She braced as the ground neared.

Sephiroth slammed into the rock, Tifa crouched on his chest, and flicking away into a roll as his body connected. Aeris was on her in a moment, arms flung around the slightly dazed martial artist. The rest of Avalanche were still clambering up the rocky outcrops below the platform as a cold chuckling reached their ears. The raven-haired girl looked nervously over at the prostrate Sephiroth.

"Do you think... that merely disarming me will stop me?" He sat up, the wing crushed uselessly beneath his body and scattering feathers behind him. With a sickening crunch the appendage detached and fell from him. "You seem to be under the illusion that SOLDIER relied solely on weapons. We were all trained in unarmed combat."

He leapt at her, fists aimed at vulnerable spots. She had but a moment to shove Aeris aside and then block his blows. He was good. From all her memories and encounters with the three SOLDIERs she had met, it was clear that the program had never been solely dependent on the Mako infusions or the Jenova implantation for the special rank; SOLDIER's were combat trained to a fault. And yet... Tifa deflected a roundhouse kick, and responded with a shot to Sephiroth's solar plexus. She was better. She was faster and was hitting him harder. Realisation dawned. While this was indeed Sephiroth, the greatest warrior and general that Shinra had ever produced, he'd lost five years of training, five years of practice, five years of experience. His movements were sloppy and telegraphed his intentions, he was far too used to his invulnerable puppets. She could take him.

Sephiroth looked bewildered as his feet were swept out from beneath him and he was once again smashed down onto his back. Tifa crouched low, pinning his arms, attempting to stop the monster from rising. "Aeris!" she yelled. "Smash the Black Materia! Hit his chest!"

The flower girl hurried to the struggling pair and slammed the end of her staff down onto the orb visible beneath Sephiroth's skin. His eyes widened with pain as the surface of the sphere cracked, but still held. He hissed with rage, a scrabbling hand caught the staff and pulled it from Aeris' grasp. A tiny shuriken whirled from her left, embedding itself into the damaged sphere. Tifa did not waste another moment; she couched back onto her haunches, using her right hand to hammer the shuriken deeper into the black orb with one final blow. With a sickening give she felt the materia shatter; the shards punctured up and out of his flesh. She watched queasily as blood began welling up from the wound. Sephiroth's eyes widened again, his face now contorted in pain. He gasped for air, drawing in ragged breaths as he began a hacking cough. With a strangled mutter of almost coherent speech he fell back and was still. The broken shards of the Black Materia lost their purple hue and faded once more to a pure black.

The former general lay dead and broken before her. His limbs still twitched with spasms and signs of movement, but he showed no sign of rising. There was a thickening of cells around the shattered Black materia; tendrils swept through the air, desperately trying to meet and link. The Jenova cells, Tifa realised. But they too were weakened, too small in number and their movements slowed and finally ceased.

"It's... it's over," breathed Aeris. She smiled at Tifa who gasped as she saw the increasingly intense glow from behind her girlfriend. The white materia carefully cradled in her hair was glowing brighter. The dull green before was being overwhelmed by an increasingly intense light. It began to pulse; the materia's pulsing in sync with the glow in the red rock sphere. Aeris turned to stare at the the pulsing light in the heart of the Lifestream. "Holy," she breathed again, her face breaking into a smile. "Tifa! The spell is working!"


	30. A Moment When Fate is Changed

A sudden tremor swept through the rock platform beneath them. In the cavernous space around them the streams and tendrils of the Lifestream brightened and began to thicken and flow closer to them with twisting curls.

"Is this it?" Tifa whispered to Aeris, eyes glancing at her exhausted companions as they stared out into this secret place beneath the world. There was nowhere to go to, no chance of escape. The Cetra didn't, couldn't answer, and simply wrapped her arms around her. The martial artist returned the gesture squeezing the flower girl gently. If this truly was the end they would enter the Lifestream together again, as they had done before. It would not be so bad, the martial artist found herself thinking. She had experienced its calming, seductively relaxing warmth; to return was not something to ever be feared.

Sharp cracking sounds echoed around the chamber and below their platform they could see the Mako level rushing up towards them. They'd be submerged within minutes, and that would be the end of them. Tifa tried to tell herself that it was fine, they'd ventured down here in the knowledge that they might just be returning to the Planet slightly sooner then everyone else. They'd defeated Sephiroth, given the Planet that last chance it needed and that was all that mattered. But... no. She didn't want to go back yet. She wanted her future with Aeris first. She wanted new memories. They had sacrificed so much to get here, risked their lives in this endeavour and somehow defeated the SOLDIER. She wanted to enjoy the fruits of all their labours; the Planet safe and at peace. 

The Mako lapped at the edges of their platform, but rose no higher. No... the Mako still surged up from deep below them, but it was carrying the platform up with it. It began to accelerate as the flow surged upwards towards the surface. Aeris was beaming.

"They're... they're helping us!"

"Thank you," Tifa whispered to the flow beneath them, unable to keep the smile from her face. The assembled party could do little but watch as the Mako carried them upwards, all staying as far as they could from the broken body of the Planet's nemesis. Tifa risked a look, another check to ensure that the fight was over; his chest no longer moved and she could see the broken shards of the Black Materia still sticking up out of his skin. there was no hint of life in his vacant eyes. Rocks cracked and shattered high above, raining debris around them as they were neared the rock ledge that served as the gateway to this inner region of the Planet.

"There it is!" yelled Yuffie with delight, the narrow aperture visible just above. They had a chance. They might still be able to get out. 

With exhausted muscles and Yuffie's ropes they scrambled up to the lower reaches of the North Crater. Tifa allowed herself to look down one more time at the broken form of Sephiroth as if still not quite believing the nightmare figure was finally defeated. All too easily she recalled the constructs they'd faced earlier and with a sense of finality directed a blast of fire onto the body below them. A tremor shook the entire cave system swiftly followed by another. The platform below them seemed to float on the surface of the Mako for a moment before sliding below the surface. It was the last she would ever see of Sephiroth and that alien entity known to them as Jenova. The Lifestream now filled the aperture to the rim, and the flashing white light far below them continued to grow in intensity.

Cid yelled into his radio trying to contact the Turks and demanding a progress report of Meteor, but received no return signal, just a hissing spluttering of white noise and fragmentary speech. He fumbled with the device, trying to find a usable frequency as a distant crashing noise above them drew all their attention. The crater collapsing on top of them? A wave of despair passed over Tifa. She was convinced that for all the help of the Cetra and those in the Lifestream there was still no escape for them; they would be unable to get clear before the crater was flooded with Mako, or before the energy from Holy was unleashed. The crashing grew louder and Cid swore as a metallic hull plunged into view.

"The Highwind..." He broke into a smile which changed to a frown, "The hell have those Turks done this time?" The airship crashed badly into a rock formation mere metres from them, lolling at an awkward angle. The pilot cursed, and turned to the others. "Everyone get in!" Cid yelled.

"You really think this will help?" Reeve glanced nervously at the churning pool of Mako below them as they ran towards the waiting vessel.

"I reckon I can get her airborne and away from here. At the very least we won't be totally exposed if the cave floods; sounds more appealing than just sitting here and watching. Your choice; stay here and watch, come with us, or try and climb back out on ya own."

Reeve needed no further encouragement and hauled himself quickly up onto the airship with the others. They raced through the vessel, Yuffie caught up in the moment and found herself unusually on the bridge. The Turks were struggling with unfamiliar controls and equipment, shaken badly by the drop into the crater depths.

"Hang on everyone," muttered Cid as he shoved the protesting Reno away from the wheel and control systems.

Ahead of them they could see only the dull rock of the crater wall and the flickering light below them, Tifa uncomfortably remembering how deep below the ground they must be. Cid threw switches, producing the familiar hum and whine of the Highwind's engines. The airship rocked and straightened banging into outcrops and the cavern walls, there was a horrible screech of rock on metal as the ship attempted to level itself and began rising.

"Come on..." Cid was muttering. He span the wheel to the left, attempting to extradite the ship.

"Cid..." murmured Nanaki looking down towards the pool of Mako.

"I know..." he growled. The Highwind hit another outcrop, flinging everyone from their feet. Cid swore and flipped another switch, as the light below them built painfully and then the shock wave hit.

It blasted them to the floor and inertia pinned them in place. They could barely see anything, piercing white light streamed in through the portholes. The airship was being pushed upwards; they felt the Highwind catch ledges and outcrops, wincing as they heard sections of the hull ripped away from its frame-work. Cid focused all his attention on the altimeter as another surge rolled the vessel; Tifa and Aeris kept tight grip on each other and one of the support rails as the ship whirled around them, throwing people and equipment around the bridge.

"There!" Cid shouted, and tugged the wheel to the right. The Highwind rolled again, but finally moved away from the brilliant white light streaming up from deep beneath the ground. The occupants of the vessel watched in horror as an entire bank of propellers fell away from the vessel as the pilot swore once more. "Never thought I'd have to use this," he muttered to himself as he tugged a lever. The cacophony of mechanical clanks and the shuddering of the damaged remnants of the airship convinced all bar the pilot that despite defeating Sephiroth, unleashing Holy and now escaping the crater they'd cheated death for the last time. Could they now avoid a terminal crash into the frozen lands around the North Crater? Abruptly the airship surged forward, the Highwind flying gracefully forward on new engines. "Emergency mode," explained the somehow still standing pilot with a smile, looking down at the bruised passengers around the bridge.

The new smaller Highwind shot rapidly away from the erupting crater. Torrents of white energy shot up from the aperture reaching higher and higher through the atmosphere and out into space; an immense column that seemingly supported the sky. Holy kept flowing upwards, slowly twisting towards the gigantic mass of Meteor. It had altered while they were underground; the red flames that seemed to wreathe it were now gone, and it hung like a second moon in the darkened sky. The flow of Holy grew increasingly narrow as it sped away from the surface, appearing as little more then an impotent trickle of energy when it struck the surface of Meteor.

Tifa's breath caught as she watched, nerves shredded as the spell touched the object in the night sky. Everything depended on this moment. Holy spread out and began to envelope Meteor, the white energy pooling and spreading out over the surface. A river of energy torrenting up into space formed a sea that flooded across the dull rocky sphere. The flow spread until it covered the entire surface and now a brilliant sphere of pure white hung in the night sky, brighter then the moon. The stream of energy from the North Crater finally began to slacken and and was soon exhausted. 

All eyes were on Meteor.

They couldn't see what happened, would never be entirely sure what effect Holy had on the falling planet but Yuffie was the first to spot that it was getting smaller. Agonisingly slowly the white orb in the sky contracted. Flecks of white energy showered from the shrinking mass; some falling back towards the Planet and others vanishing off into the cold reaches of space. It's mass had reduced by almost half when the sphere brightened, flaring into a painful incandescence; brighter then anything they'd seen before. The light vanished in a moment, leaving only the dark night behind. Tifa strained her eyes in the dark searching the sky for any sign of the falling planet, thankful she could see none.

Tifa let her breath out, amused to hear similar from the others. "We did it..." she whispered. "We did it!" she shouted.

Yuffie whooped, all the tension breaking at once; everyone was either shouting or laughing. Tifa turned to Aeris smiling. She carefully undid her braid and reached for the materia. The crystal had reverted to its inert state once more, a pure white sphere. "Thank you," she whispered to the sphere, before throwing her arms around her girlfriend.


	31. Epilogue

Tifa stretched out in bed, dozily, reaching for the warm body beside her. It wasn't there. She opened her eyes with a start at the same time trying to ensure that she wasn't panicking unnecessarily. There was no sign of Aeris; her dress was missing from where she'd hung it the previous night, her boots were gone from beside the door. Panic spiralled up and began consuming her... until she noticed the note. It had been written on a plain sheet of paper and was folded neatly in half. With a shudder of trepidation the martial artist opened the note and read the contents.

'To my dearest Tifa Lockhart,

I must apologise first off for once again leaving you while you were sleeping to go off on my own. I needed to run a few errands, and by the time you read this note I will be finished and waiting for you. If you come here... you will find me. I have owed you this date for a long time, and today I am able to grant it to you.

Yours forever,

Aeris'

A thrill swept through her washing away her fears; she had no doubts about where Aeris was waiting. She was slightly put out by the theatrics of this situation, but knew her girlfriend well enough to realise this would all be ultimately worth it. She dressed quickly and set out.

 

Early morning Kalm was still suffering from the fallout of the last few days; crowds of refugees and the Mako reactor in the town now inert and silent. From some hurried conversations between Reeve and Rufus it had become clear that all the Mako reactors world-wide had abruptly stopped operation the moment Meteor had vanished from the skies. The Mako they had drawn upon previously now missing, maintenance teams descending to depths expecting to find abundant pools of Mako now found only deep, dry cavities in the rock. It was incredible; Barret could scarcely believe that his long-sought after goal was already upon him. He took it in his stride; leading the charge to dig out older coal powered equipment and at least begin power generation once more. He was already speculating on finding new energy production methods. The Weapons were gone and no trace could be found of the four still known to be active; they were presumed either reabsorbed by the Planet that spawned them or slumbering once more until required. 

The euphoria after the Highwind crash-landed near Kalm a few days earlier had threatened to overwhelm them and the combined group of Avalanche and the Turks was drunk on happiness as they wandered into the town. Reeve quickly guided them to the unassuming house which had sheltered both Elmyra and Marlene; both were overjoyed to see the group, though neither could help casting a suspicious glance at the quartet of dark suited companions they seemed to have acquired. Elmyra hugged her daughter close, who then happily introduced Tifa to her once more; this time as her girlfriend. It seemed maddening to the martial artist that she could be nervous about this introduction as well, but she need not have worried. Elmyra simply smiled at her daughter's partner and embraced her too and whispered "Thank you."

The next day as the first refugees from Midgar began to arrive at the quiet town, Reeve and the Turks set off back to Midgar and Rufus. The man who was Cait Sith was resolute that the company could be reformed and its resources directed at helping the Planet's populace. He jokingly suggested that they operate under a new name; the World Reconstruction Organisation. The refugees streamed out from Midgar, both the slum inhabitants and those from the upper plates had trekked across the gigantic city and out into the fresh air. Some had immediately begun laying claim to portions of the desert surrounding the city, unwilling to abandon it quite yet. A small tent city had begun to form as still more wandered out from under the plates blinking into the sunlight.

 

Clutches of people, always heading out of the city passed Tifa as the reached the outer rim of the now dead Midgar. Most ignored her, but a few looked at her curiously as she moved contrary to everyone else and back into the claustrophobic city. She smiled to herself; to them she was just an oddity in a time of abrupt and intense change. It was unlikely anyone would know or believe the part she played in the Planet's continued existence.

And that was how she wanted it she realised. She had no desire for a hero's life, a life of worship, called upon for every future problem. All she wanted in the world awaited her in a broken down church in the fifth sector of a once oppressive city. Yuffie had left the previous day to assist with Wutai; but not before demanding every piece of Materia Avalanche still held. The total weight was vastly more then the ninja and her chocobo could carry so she resorted to a brief selection of potent spells and insisted she'd be back for the rest of it. Vincent had simply vanished off days earlier and Nanaki was still helping where he could in Kalm, though itching to return to Cosmo Canyon once more. Cid was currently camped out in the remains of the Highwind as he stripped it for useful parts for his new airship concept.

Even Aeris had reminded her of a destination that they had to head towards soon; another visit to the village of Gongaga.

 

Tifa ducked into an alley once she saw the church, recognising it from Aeris' own memories, positioned so appropriately by seeming happenstance; directly below the break between the sector four and five plates. Sunlight streamed down onto the church which seemed to burst with possibility.

She hastily changed her clothes, keeping a wary eye out for anyone lurking nearby. She was glad she'd paused in Kalm long enough to pester the less then enthused shop-keepers to sell it to her. A black dress... She'd seen it months before as they prepared to leave Kalm and head out into the world. She and Aeris had been gathering provisions; the sight of the dress had transfixed the flower girl. Tifa asked if she liked it.

"I do," the flower girl had replied with a smile. "But I think it would suit you much more."

She'd flushed at the warm words then, but never let the memory fade. Now the dress hugged her body as she walked with shoes to match and new earrings glittering on her ears. She hoped her girlfriend would like her own response to the theatrics. She dithered at the door, suddenly wondering if she should knock or just walk into the building. She was being silly, this was not Aeris' home, she should be able to go straight in... No. This was the flower girl's second and secretive home. She brought her knuckles down against the wood with two quick strikes and pushed the door open.

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass of the windows and the holes in the roof. Her footsteps echoed in the interior and then her attention was arrested. A girl in pink was sat amid the flowers watching her with an appreciative smile, her legs curled beneath her and her emerald eyes flashing in the sunlight. Tifa gasped. Instead of the old faded pink dress and the red jacket, Aeris instead wore a shimmery, elegant, strapless dress of pale pink. Her braid was unfurled and her hair was tied back into a simple pony-tale. She was simply breath-taking.

"Tifa."

"Aeris."

The martial artist walked down the aisle as the flower girl got to her feet. "I knew the dress would suit you," she smiled lovingly at her. "And I'm sorry again."

The martial artist just smiled back at her. "I don't mind at all. I think this was worth it." She looked down to the grass and flowers that still grew and thrived here. "They are so beautiful." She raised her head and gazed into her partner's eyes. "Thank you."

"I'm glad I was finally able to bring you here." She crouched and tugged a flower from the mass and carefully slipped it behind Tifa's ear. With gentle, questing fingers the raven-haired touched the delicate petals.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"And now... a question..." Theatrics again; Aeris left the pregnant pause hanging there.

"Ask," she breathed in response.

"Tifa Lockhart, I no longer think of life without you. I haven't for some time, and I wish dearly to spend the rest of my days with you... if you'll allow me."

"Of course." The response burst from Tifa's lips. There was a sense of pleasing anticipation, some sense she could tell what Aeris was working towards.

"Then, dearest Tifa, will you marry me?"

Everything seemed to stop for a moment with those words. Her mind threw up questions and problems, strange queries and objections, but none of it mattered. There was only one thing she could say.

"Yes," she beamed. Her fiancee smiled back and then reached back to her hair.

"I have no ring, but the Cetra had a ceremony similar to modern engagement. Their bond was indicated by the exchange and wearing of something small and personal." She tugged her ribbon loose, her hair spilling over her shoulders. The raven-haired girl realised her part in this and caught the end of her own hair and removed the band that held it in place. They exchanged the hair ties, Tifa realising there was something additional being given to her; Aeris had placed the White Materia there as well.

"Aeris?"

"I want you to have it. To hold on to it. I hope I never have to make use of its power again." She looked deep into her eyes. "I cannot think of a better guardian then you."

She flushed at the words and carefully cradling the sphere, she tied the pink ribbon into her hair wrapping the long ribbon into a band around her hair and slipping the White Materia into place as had so often see Aeris do. 

"I do have a confession about what I used it for..."

"I thought it destroyed Meteor?"

Aeris looked slightly guilty. "Technically... yes. What the spell actually does is remove that which is deemed harmful to the Planet. While I was praying I was able to shape the nature of the spell. I declared Meteor, Jenova and... Mako power to be the threats."

A smile broke out on Tifa's face. "So this is why you were so eager to plan for the Shinra company's downfall? You knew it would be coming sooner then we thought!"

Her fiancee smiled back. "And that is why I want you to hold the materia. It would be far too tempting to always rely on its power in the future, to use it to correct any problem we ever have. I have no desire to use that power again unless there is truly no other option."

The raven-haired girl nodded solemnly, "I understand. I will guard the Materia for you for the rest of my days."

They looked at one another anew; the pink ribbon in Tifa's hair, the single bracelet still adorning her wrist, and Aeris with it's partner on her own, and a black ribbon in her hair. The flower girl stepped forward and kissed the martial artist. She moved back slightly and whispered, "It is done."

A thrill swept through her. "We're engaged?"

"At least as far as the Cetra culture is concerned. We could try and arrange something more modern if you'd like..."

Tifa shook her head, "No, this is more then enough."

They lay back in amongst the flowers, both relishing the future stretching out away in front of them, full of possibilities and opportunities. Tifa gripped Aeris' hand tightly. Side by side she felt sure they would be okay, sure they would overcome whatever happened. They watched the sun shift as the day wore on, the air filled with idle speculation of weddings, honeymoons and when they would be able to take that trip to once again see the length and breadth of the Planet they had saved.

**Author's Note:**

> As might have been obvious, while _Advent Children_ can't occur after this story, I was unable to resist using one or two little details from it.


End file.
